Chemotherapy permanent hair loss (alopecia), particularly in the treatment of breast cancer, can be life shattering. Although alopecia is a common side effect linked to chemotherapy drugs, permanent hair loss is not.
Taxotere (docetaxel) a cancer medication that impedes the growth and spread of cancer cells in the body, is used to treat breast cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, stomach cancer, and head/neck cancer, and was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May 1996 for the treatment of patients with advanced or metastatic breast cancer, after prior chemotherapy efforts proved unsuccessful.
A claim of permanent baldness from it’s side effects was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, alleging that Sanofi-Aventis, the maker of a popular intravenous chemotherapy drug, failed to satisfactorily warn female breast cancer patients and doctors about the danger of permanent baldness in a considerable number of women. The suit against Sanofi-Aventis, the makers of the drug, claims that through its publications and marketing material, Sanofi-Aventis misled the public and the medical community by claiming, as with other chemotherapy drugs that cause alopecia that the patients’ hair would grow back. Sanofi-Aventis informed doctors and patients in Europe in 2005, and in Canada 2012, about the risks of permanent hair loss from it’s side effects, but failed to provide such warnings to the U.S. patients and doctors until January 2016.
The lawsuits state that if the manufacturer had properly warned female patients and doctors of the significant risks of permanent baldness, the patients would have been recommended a similarly effective chemotherapy drug that does not result in permanent hair loss.
The FDA, in December 2015, did acknowledge that use of this drug can result in permanent hair loss, and this warning, approved by the FDA, will now be placed on the drug’s label: ‘Cases of permanent alopecia have been reported.’
Our law firm focuses on the representation of plaintiffs in personal injury lawsuits, and we are currently accepting new cases in all 50 states. If you or a loved one has experienced hair loss due to the use of this drug, contact us immediately for a free and confidential case evaluation. You may be entitled to compensation for your physical suffering and financial hardship, and Gacovino Lake can help. Call 1-800-550-0000 for a free case evaluation.
