A Pennsylvania Taxotere hair loss lawsuit may be an option for chemotherapy patients who took Taxotere and suffered permanent hair loss. Taxotere is a prescription chemotherapy medication used to treat certain types of cancer, usually breast, lung, prostate, stomach, and head and neck cancer. While chemotherapy treatments may cause temporary hair loss, lawsuits allege that patients experienced permanent hair loss after receiving Taxotere to treat their cancer. Affected patients and their families may be eligible to seek compensation for their injuries with the help of a Pennsylvania Taxotere lawsuit attorney.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Pennsylvania 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?
Taxotere is a type of cancer therapy used to treat the following kinds of cancer:
- Breast cancer
- Non-small cell lung cancer
- Hormone refractory prostate cancer
- Stomach cancer
- Head and neck cancer
Taxotere may be used on its own or in combination with other forms of chemotherapy to treat these types of cancers.
How Does Taxotere Work?
Taxotere, also called docetaxel, belongs to a classification of drugs known as taxanes. Taxanes were initially developed from the Pacific yew tree. Taxanes target highly dynamic cellular polymers known as microtubules. Microtubules play an important role in cell division, and Taxotere works to stop them from dividing and multiplying.
Taxotere and Permanent Hair Loss
Because chemotherapy medications target all rapidly dividing cells, some treatments can kill rapidly-growing hair cells, resulting in hair loss. Although temporary hair loss is listed as a known side effect of some chemotherapy treatments and may be expected, Taxotere has also been linked to complete and permanent hair loss.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration released updated safety information in 2015 noting that cases of permanent hair loss related to the use of Taxotere have been reported.
According to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Miami, Florida, there is increased evidence that certain chemotherapy regimens can cause dose-dependent permanent alopecia (hair loss). Many cancer patients—particularly women who have been treated for breast cancer— may find it difficult to cope with the effects of permanent hair loss after being treated for cancer with Taxotere.
Taxotere Hair Loss Lawsuit Claims
Taxotere hair loss lawsuits filed in Ohio and Illinois allege that although hair loss is a common side effect related to chemotherapy drugs, permanent hair loss is not. Through its publications and marketing material, Sanofi S.A. and its related companies and predecessors, misled the plaintiff, the public, and the medical community to believe that patients’ hair would grow back.
Likewise, lawsuits allege that Sanofi S.A. either knew or should have known that a Denver-based oncologist detected an increased percentage (6.3%) of his patients who had taken Taxotere and suffered from permanent disfiguring hair loss in the years proceeding their treatment with Taxotere. According to the lawsuit, thousands of women were exposed to the risk of permanent alopecia without any warning and without any benefit as a result of the drug maker’s wrongful and deceptive acts.
Plaintiffs claim that they experienced permanent alopecia as a result of taking Taxotere, leading severe and permanent injuries including medical expenses; mental anguish; severe and debilitating emotional distress; and past, present, and future physical and mental pain, suffering, and discomfort.
Taxotere Side Effects
Some people using Taxotere as a treatment for cancer may experience serious side effects, however, doctors generally prescribe the drug because the benefits outweigh the risk of side effects.
Side effects of Taxotere include:
- Shortness of breath
- Decreased appetite
- Constipation
- Changes in fingernails and toenails
- Temporary hair loss
- Skin reactions at the site of injection, including increased skin pigmentation, redness, tenderness, swelling, and warmth or dryness of the skin
- Swelling of the hands, face, or feet
- Mouth or lip sores
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 a Pennsylvania 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.
Patients 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 a Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania. 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.
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