Use of Taxotere Can Lead To Permanent Hair Loss

Taxotere is a chemotherapy drug that is primarily used to treat breast cancer. The drug prevents breast cancer cell from growing and dividing. It is administered to the patient intravenously by a medical professional in a clinic or hospital.

Taxotere is known to cause permanent hair loss in women. Other chemotherapy drugs cause only temporary hair loss. Studies of the risk of hair loss with Taxotere all seem to conclude that as much as 10% of the chemotherapy patients treated with Taxotere will experience permanent hair loss.

Most people are aware that various types of chemotherapy cause hair loss, but this is normally temporary hair loss. What is different about Taxotere is that it causes permanent hair loss, which can be particularly traumatic for women who may have already had to undergo a mastectomy and now have to contend with spending the rest of their lives without hair. Needless to say, most breast cancer patients would have chosen an alternative to Taxotere if they had been informed of the increased risk of permanent hair loss associated with it.

Taxotere vs. Taxol

One to the most troubling aspect of this issue is the fact that before Taxotere entered the market, there was already a very effective drug on the market to treat breast cancer. This drug is called Taxol. Taxol is a chemotherapy that is based on a naturally occurring substance and is produced by Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS).

Taxol is in the same class of chemotherapy drugs as Taxotere yet does not cause permanent hair loss. Even more importantly, studies have shown that Taxol is even more effective at treating breast cancer than Taxotere.

Taxotere, which is made by the French manufacturer Sanofi, is basically a synthetic version of Taxol produced in an effort to capture part of BMS’s share of the breast cancer market. While Taxotere is made from the same molecule as Taxol, it was made to be twice as strong. But what the manufacturers of Taxotere didn’t tell consumers is that because it is twice as strong, it is more toxic and causes the permanent destruction of hair follicles.

Another troubling aspect of this issue revolves around the fact that only in the past few months did Sanofi endeavored to warn doctors and patients in the United State about the risk of permanent hair loss associated with Taxotere, but has been warning its consumer base in Europe of these risks for more than 10 years.

Taxotere Lawsuits

Recent lawsuits against Sanofi allege that the manufacturer failed to warn patients and their physician of the increased risk of permanent hair loss.

These lawsuits also claim that had this side effect been properly disclosed, doctors would have opted for a different chemotherapy drug, such as Taxol, that does not cause permanent hair loss.

More lawsuits are now being filed against Sanofi. These lawsuits seek compensation for the physical and emotional pain and suffering caused by the side effects of Taxotere.

Contact an Experienced Dangerous Pharmaceuticals Attorney

If you are still experiencing hair loss 6 months after being treated with Taxotere, you may be eligible to pursue compensation from its manufacturer. To find out if you are eligible for a Taxotere lawsuits, contact and experienced dangerous pharmaceuticals attorney today for no-cost, no-obligation consultation. By law, the time you have to file a claim is strictly limited, so call now to ensure your right to be compensated.