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[/profileleft]Consumers across the United States are beginning to wonder whether or not they should consider filing a Taxotere lawsuit because of the problems that they have experienced as a result of using this medication. Reports of Taxotere side effects are growing in number, and if you or someone you love have been harmed as a result of using this medication, you need to seek the advice of an experienced attorney as soon as possible. Below you will find an overview of Taxotere including information on its manufacturer, how it works, the problems that have arisen and how you should proceed if you find yourself facing loss as a result of using this drug.
About Taxotere
Taxotere is a drug that is used in chemotherapy, primarily by women who are fighting breast cancer. It is administered intravenously and it is extremely prevalent in the United States. Taxotere can trace its roots back to 1962, when it was discovered that the bark of the Pacific yew tree contained a natural compound that could be used to fight cancer. This substance was formulated into what is now considered the ‘grandfather’ of Taxotere, known as Taxol. The medications related to Taxol are known as Taxanes.
Ultimately, a French company known as Sanofi-Aventis came out with the drug Taxotere, and it was originally approved for use in the United States by the FDA in May of 1996. The drug was initially marketed as one that was more powerful and easier to manage than Taxol because of its molecular makeup. That marketing message proved to be effective, as estimates have indicated that as many as 75 percent of women who underwent chemotherapy for breast cancer have had Taxotere prescribed for them. As a result, Taxotere has generated billions of dollars in revenue both in the American and European markets since its approvals and releases.
How Taxotere Works
One of the reasons that Taxotere has been so effective with some patients is because of the way in which it helps those patients fight the spread of cancer cells. Taxotere does so by operating on a cellular level. The drug attacks the cancer cells at the depolymerization stage, thereby preventing mitosis. What this means in basic language is that the drug penetrates the cancer cells and prevents them from dividing and ultimately spreading.
Allegations of Taxotere Side Effects
Unfortunately, reports and allegations of Taxotere side effects eventually began to surface. Several studies have been done over the years that tend to point to a connection between the use of Taxotere and alopecia, or hair loss. One such study was released in 2005 that concluded that more than 9 percent of women who used Taxotere suffered irreversible hair loss. That study proved to be just one of many that basically led to the same conclusion. Studies published in 2006, 2009 and 2010 all identified the connection between Taxotere and permanent hair loss.
Most recently, studies such as this one, which was published in 2012 in the Annals of Oncology, concluded that an appreciable percentage of women who used Taxotere as part of their chemotherapy during the early stages of breast cancer faced a heightened risk of alopecia, otherwise known as hair loss. This 2012 study looked at 20 patients who had used Taxotere and who had suffered hair loss. The researchers in this study noted that hair loss for women is extremely damaging in a psychological sense. All of these studies in some way prompted reactions both from Sanofi-Aventis and different regulatory agencies around the world.
Taxotere Side Effects and Regulatory Steps
Whenever side effects are associated with a drug and people begin to stand up for their legal rights, it generally leads to questions about when the drug’s manufacturer knew or should have known about the potential problem. This is an issue that will most likely be explored in every Taxotere lawsuit that is filed, as allegations exist that state that Sanofi-Aventis knew about potential Taxotere side effects many years ago. The manufacturer warned regulatory agencies in Europe as early as 2005 but continued to sell Taxotere – and aggressively market it – in different markets across the world.
Canada was warned of potential Taxotere side effects in 2012, and in response the drug now has clear warning language on its labels so that patients can be made aware of the potential risks. Unfortunately, it wasn’t until December of 2015 that the FDA ordered a label change on containers of Taxotere that laid out the potential side effects. At issue in just about any Taxotere lawsuit is whether the company either did know or, absent actual knowledge, should have known about these problems and reacted by hiding them from the public.
The Realities of a Taxotere Lawsuit
When consumers are harmed by large corporations and they begin to think about how they should stand up for themselves, they are often faced with a difficult situation. Not only are they fighting to recover from the physical, emotional, psychological and financial damage that was done but they also face an opponent that will aggressively defend itself if deemed necessary. No one who is already suffering should have to deal with a team of highly skilled defense attorneys in an attempt to secure justice.
That’s why you need to make sure that if you are considering pursuing a Taxotere lawsuit that you seek the advice of an experienced trial attorney who understands the realities of holding large corporations accountable for the harm they have done. Rather than try to face this situation alone, contact the Taxotere side effects lawyers at Gomez Trial Attorneys today to schedule a free initial consultation so that you can make an informed decision regarding how you should proceed.
