An Oklahoma Taxotere hair loss lawsuit may be an option for chemotherapy patients who took Taxotere and suffered permanent hair loss. Taxotere, a chemotherapy medication most commonly used to treat breast, prostate, non-small cell lung cancer, stomach, and head and neck cancers, has been allegedly associated with permanent, disfiguring hair loss also known as alopecia. Affected patients and their families may be eligible to file an Oklahoma Taxotere lawsuit and seek compensation for damages.
prudkov/iStock/ThinkstockFor more information, contact Attorney Group for Oklahoma today. Our consultations are free, confidential and without any obligation on your part. We can help answer your questions, and if you choose to pursue a claim we can connect you with an affiliated attorney who can assist you throughout the legal process.
What is Taxotere and How Does It Work?
Taxotere is a type of prescription chemotherapy medication primarily used to treat breast cancer and certain forms of lung, prostate, stomach, and head and neck cancer.
Originally developed from the Pacific yew tree, Taxotere is a type of drug known as a taxane. Mostly man made now, taxanes are chemical compounds that work by disrupting microtubule function, cellular structures that are essential components of cell division.
Taxotere and Permanent Hair Loss
As a result of chemotherapy’s effect on healthy cells in addition to cancerous ones, patients who receive chemotherapy treatment for certain types of cancers are known to experience temporary hair loss. Some patients, particularly women who have suffered from breast cancer and who have been treated with Taxotere, claim that they have experienced permanent alopecia, or hair loss.
Hair loss due to chemotherapy is usually reversible, and complete hair regrowth is expected. However, according to an article published in the American Journal of Dermatopathology, there is increased evidence that certain chemotherapy regimens—such as treatment with Taxotere—may cause permanent alopecia, or hair loss. In the article, researchers note ten cases of permanent alopecia, six of which occurred after systematic chemotherapy with taxanes.
Research presented at the National Cancer Research Institute Conference showed significant hair loss reported by patients who responded to a questionnaire regarding Taxotere and its connection with patient hair loss.
Taxotere Hair Loss Lawsuit Claims
Taxotere hair loss lawsuits have been filed against drug makers Sanofi S.A., claiming that the drug maker, through their publications and marketing materials, misled the plaintiff, the public, and the medical community to believe that patients’ hair would grow back, as is the case with other chemotherapy drugs that may cause alopecia.
According to the lawsuit, the drug maker gained billions of dollars in revenue as a direct result of obtaining the patents through unjust conduct, causing thousands of individuals to be exposed to the risk of permanent alopecia without any warning and without any benefit.
Plaintiffs claim that they experienced permanent alopecia as a result of taking Taxotere, resulting in damages that include medical expenses; mental anguish; emotional distress; and past, present, and future physical and mental pain, suffering, and discomfort.
Taxotere Side Effects
Side effects may occur when using Taxotere to treat cancer. Those side effects include:
- Increased risk of infection due to low white blood cell count
- Anemia, a condition in which the blood does not have enough healthy red blood cells
- Weight gain and swelling of the ankles and abdominal area due to fluid retention
- Peripheral neuropathy, or numbness in the fingers and toes
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Mouth sores
- Hair loss
- Fatigue and weakness
- Fingernail and toenail color changes, and in some cases, nails may fall off
Other Taxotere Risks
In 2014, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned that docetaxel (Taxotere) contains ethanol, a type of alcohol. This may cause some patients to experience a feeling of drunkenness or intoxication during or after treatment. Patients are advised to notify their doctor or healthcare professional if they experience symptoms of feeling drunk, confusion, stumbling, or becoming very sleepy.
Patients may also experience potentially severe allergic reactions during chemotherapy treatment with Taxotere and are advised to tell their doctor if they experience any serious complications.
How an Oklahoma Taxotere Hair Loss Lawsuit Can Help
Drug manufacturers have a duty to ensure their products are accompanied by full and accurate instructions and warnings to guide prescribing doctors and other health care providers in making treatment decisions. If a drug maker fails to fulfill this duty, it could be held liable in lawsuits for injuries that may result.
gyasemin/iStock/ThinkstockPatients who are injured by Taxotere may be entitled to compensation for damages, including:
- Medical expenses
- The permanency of the injury
- Pain, suffering, and mental anguish
- Loss of income or ability to work
If a patient dies from complications after taking Taxotere, family members may be entitled to compensation for the wrongful death of their loved one, including:
- Conscious pain and suffering of a loved one prior to death
- Pain, suffering, and mental anguish from the loss of a loved one
- Funeral expenses
Patients who have suffered severe side effects, including permanent hair loss, after taking Taxotere, as well as the families of those who have died as a result of complications with the drug, are encouraged to seek the advice of an Oklahoma Taxotere hair loss lawsuit attorney to learn more about their rights and remedies.
The Time You Have to Pursue a Claim is Limited. Contact Us Today.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Oklahoma. You can fill out the form on this page, call us at the number listed at the top of the page, or email us at info@attorneygroup.com.
When you contact us, an attorney will follow up with you to speak with you about your case or answer questions that you might have. There is no cost or obligation to speak with us, and any information you provide will be kept confidential.
Please note that the law limits the time you have to pursue a claim or file a lawsuit for an injury. If you think you have a case, you should not delay taking action.
See our Frequently Asked Questions page for more information, and contact Attorney Group for Oklahoma today.
