Hair loss from chemotherapy is a normal and expected side effect of cancer treatment, so why should you file a Taxotere lawsuit against Sanofi for hair loss? There are several compelling reasons for filing a Taxotere hair lawsuit, which are explained in detail on this page. The short answer is that it is our firm belief any time a corporation profits at the expense of consumer safety – and anytime deceit leads to widespread harm – companies must be held accountable for their wrongdoing. The most effective way for individual consumers harmed by Taxotere hair loss to bring accountability to sanofi is to file a Taxotere lawsuit.
Taxotere is a popular pharmaceutical drug used in chemotherapy treatment of breast cancer and other forms of cancer. It was first approved for use in the United States in 1996. Sanofi, a multinational pharmaceutical company, is responsible for its development and marketing. For years, Sanofi claimed Taxotere was more effective and more convenient that other chemotherapy drugs. Taxotere became a very popular choice among physicians, and reaped billions in profit for Sanofi.
False Claims. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2008 (“Weekly Paclitaxel in the Adjuvant Treatment of Breast Cancer”) showed that Taxol (paclitaxel) is, in fact, more effective than Taxotere. This directly counters the drug company’s marketing claim that Taxotere is “super” effective, and has better outcomes than paclitaxel. Sanofi, the company that markets Taxotere, received a Taxotere FDA warning letter in 2009 citing these unsubstantiated claims of superiority, which amount to misbranding. The company was ordered to stop making claims of Taxotere’s superiority because the claim was not backed by evidence.
Illegal Kickbacks. A Taxotere lawsuit filed in Pennsylvania by a former Sanofi employee sheds light on Taxotere’s rise to prominence. In the Taxotere lawsuit, the plaintiff alleges Sanofi paid illegal incentives and kickbacks to physicians who used Taxotere. Specifically, Sanofi launched a scheme in 1996 to promote Taxotere for off-label uses, which amounts to urging physicians to use the drug to treat disease not approved by the FDA. Doctors legally have the freedom to choose which drug to prescribe to treat an illness, but giving physicians incentives to choose a specific drug is illegal. Sanofi has been accused of awarding sham grants and paying for speakers’ fees, travel expenses, entertainment, sports and concert tickets, and preceptorship fees to doctors who prescribed Taxotere for off-label uses. Sales soared – in 2000, Taxotere sales reached $424 million; by 2004, Taxotere brought in $1.4 billion.
Highly Toxic. The convenience factor of Taxotere was the true part. Patients undergoing a Taxotere regime had to visit the hospital about half as often as those getting paclitaxel. We know now that this is due to the highly potent and toxic nature of Taxotere. Linked to its toxic nature is the risk for Taxotere permanent hair loss.
Permanent Taxotere Hair Loss. Hair loss during chemotherapy is an accepted, if distressing, side effect. A review of breast cancer treatment side effects in 2008 showed that “hair loss consistently ranked among the most troublesome side effects, was described as distressing, and may affect body image”. The one good thing about hair loss from cancer treatment is that the condition is temporary. Just like patients exposed to all sorts of chemotherapy, those taking Taxotere were led to believe hair loss would be temporary.
The American public only learned about the threat of permanent Taxotere hair loss in 2016. Yet Sanofi officials have known about the risk since at least 2005. That year, a long term outcomes study funded by the company produced results. Known as the GEICAM 9805 study, this research showed that 9.2% of patients suffered from permanent alopecia or hair loss from Taxotere. The company issued Taxotere hair loss warnings to Canadian and European consumers, yet continued to market the drug as safe in the United States.
Any time a large pharmaceutical company deceives its consumers, violates regulations or acts unethically to promote sales, American consumers get hurt. These Taxotere attorneys work tirelessly to achieve justice on behalf of American families harmed by large corporate entities. The attorneys handling Taxotere hair loss lawsuits believe that persons who have suffered permanent Taxotere hair loss may be entitled to significant compensation through filing a Taxotere lawsuit against Sanofi.
For more information, visit our Taxotere Hair Lawsuit website.
