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Women Who Took Cancer Drug Not Warned Of Permanent Hair Loss

Thursday, May 26th, 2016

If you have experienced complete hair loss all over the body or permanent baldness (no hair regrowth six months or more after Taxotere treatment ended) then you may have an actionable claim. Drug manufacturers are under a duty to fully inform the public of all the health risks of their drugs. Below are some of the important facts about Taxotere and permanent hair loss, as well as information about what you can do if you were affected.

What is Taxotere?

Taxotere is a chemotherapy drug that is used to fight breast-cancer and other forms of cancer, such as prostate and lung cancer. This drug carries many side-effects, including hair loss. Unfortunately, many patients were never warned of the possibility that their hair loss could be permanent. This side-effect was observed during clinical trials, however it was not placed on the warning label until December 2015. The US label was not updated until January of 2016. As a result, thousands of patients were afflicted with permanent hair loss. About 10 precent of the women taking Taxotere end up permanently bald.

Patients from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and France are unable to grow back their hair. Some have experienced complete alopecia (hair loss on the entire body) and some can only grow back less than 50 percent of their hair. The effects are inconsistent among patients other than the fact that their hair growth is permanently afflicted.

What permanent hair loss can do

These patients may feel unable to fully reclaim their lives due to the permanent hair loss. Many women report being unable to start a normal life because Taxotere has left them looking permanently ill.

Some of these women have posted their stories online as a way to warn future users of Taxotere of the possible side-effects. Fighting cancer is never easy, but it is easier if you have all of the information available. Neither doctors nor pharmaceutical companies can expect you to make the right choice for yourself and your family if you are denied all of the facts.

Other issues with Taxotere

Another problem is that there are alternatives to using Taxotere. There are several chemotherapy options with cancer-fighting effects that do not cause permanent hair loss. You should discuss the pros and cons with your doctor about all options. Patients must be fully warned of all the side-effects, or they can be considered incapable of making an informed decision about their health.

Breast cancer survivors have suffered enough without also having to deal with permanent hair loss. Hair is something that many of us take for granted until it is gone, although it is linked with our identity. It is the responsibility of the drug companies to ensure that cancer patients are fully informed of a drug’s potential effects.

If you know someone that has suffered total alopecia or permanent baldness while on Taxotere, please do not hesitate to contact the offices of Dean Boyd. You can call us at (806) 242-3333 or Contact Us by email. You can also visit one of our offices at 4423 SW 45th Ave in Amarillo, Texas or 10623 Quaker Ave #102 in Lubbock, Texas.

While some patients may not know that they were given Taxotere, permanent hair loss is a rare reaction to breast cancer treatment. If you are permanently bald after breast cancer treatment, you were likely given Taxotere. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us. We would be happy to help you in any way that we can.

*The content on this website is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as legal advice. Viewing this information does not establish/constitute an attorney-client relationship with the law firm of Attorney Dean Boyd.