After being approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2004 to treat patients diagnosed with operable node-positive breast cancer, Taxotere was soon expanded and approved for the treatment of head and neck cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, and prostate cancer.
With around 300,000 new breast cancer diagnoses in the U.S. each year alone, Taxotere generated over $3 billion for Sanofi-Aventis prior to losing patent protection in 2009.
While hair loss is but one of the many common side effects typically associated with chemotherapy, most patients don’t expect it to be permanent. Taxotere has always contained information regarding hair loss, but there was nothing to suggest the effect would be permanent.
In 2015, the FDA issued a warning and required an immediate update to the Taxotere box warning patients of the drug’s potential to cause permanent hair loss. The label was soon updated to read, “Cases of permanent alopecia have been reported.”
With a number of clinical studies linking Taxotere to permanent hair loss, it’s no surprise breast cancer survivors and their families are starting to file lawsuits against Sanofi-Aventis on the grounds that there was no prior warning of the drug’s devastating side effects.
There are currently over 30 pending Taxotere lawsuits in 16 different federal courts that make similar claims:
For breast cancer survivors 
and their families, permanent hair loss acts as a constant reminder of their daily struggle. If you’ve experienced the negative effects associated with Taxotere, reach out to your doctor and contact an attorney.
