When the most anticipated cure for an adverse problem yields a totally unexpected and humiliating result, the agony of the afflicted becomes inexplicable. That's what happened to cancer patients treated with Taxotere, a chemotherapy drug.
As yet another insult to injury, Taxotere causes irreversible side effects in the already troubled lives of cancer patients. This puts the maker of the drug Taxotere in a bind, as its adverse side effects generate multiple waves of lawsuits against Taxotere every day.
Numerous victims in the US await favorable verdicts in their lawsuits against Taxotere in order to receive at least some financial comfort for their endless suffering.
In this blog, we will look at the different types of Taxotere drug lawsuits across the country and the state of Taxotere lawsuits. Come on, let's dig in.
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What is Taxotere?
Taxotere is a chemotherapy drug used to treat various types of cancer, including breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, prostate cancer, stomach and esophageal cancer, and head and neck cancer. Docetaxel is its generic name and belongs to the class of taxanes. Docetaxel is a microtubule inhibitor that is used to slow cell growth. Taxotere is given every three weeks and the dose depends on body weight, health status and the body's response to treatment.
Unlike other drugs, chemotherapy drugs have serious side effects, and Taxotere is no exception. Its use is recommended with premedications such as dexamethasone to prevent allergies and swelling. However, Taxotere has been found to cause severe allergic reactions and edema despite premedication.
The drug is marked with a black box warning that lists five life-threatening complications, including: B. Low blood cell count (neutropenia), liver toxicity, fluid retention, hypersensitivity reactions, and toxic death.
Common Taxotere Side Effects
- loss of appetite
- constipation
- Diarrhea
- Edema or discomfort at the injection site
- Fingernail or toenail reactions
- nausea
- temporary hair loss
- To vomit
A brief backstory of the drug Taxotere
Sanofi, a French-based multinational pharmaceutical company, makes the breast cancer chemotherapy drug Taxotere. It was first developed by Rhone-Poulenc (now Sanofi-Aventis). Taxotere was approved by the FDA in 1996 for a specific indication: the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer who had not responded well to other treatments.
Taxotere has also been tested and developed in various combinations to treat other types of cancer and has received FDA approval for several years. It was approved by the FDA in 1999 for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. In 2010, around 1.5 million people around the world were using it, bringing sales to more than $3 million.
Taxotere was approved in May 2004 for use together with prednisone for the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer and in August of the same year for the treatment of breast cancer together with premedications. Taxotere was approved for the treatment of gastric cancer and head and neck cancer in March and October 2006, respectively.
However, in the period from 2003 to June 2018, a total of 21,037 taxotere-related adverse events were reported to the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Of those reports, 17,346 were intense and 3,007 resulted in fatalities.
Taxotere Long Term Side Effects
Typically, the normal and temporary side effects of Taxotere last a few days after the infusion. However, there are much longer lasting and irreparable side effects that make victims fight the manufacturers. Let's see what the victims experienced.
Hair loss
In 2006, Dr. Sedlacek of the Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers in Colorado conducted an independent study on the side effects of Taxotere. She found that up to 6.3 percent of breast cancer patients suffered from significant persistent hair loss (PSA), meaning they grew less than 50 percent of their hair after treatment.
While temporary hair loss is a common side effect of chemotherapy drugs, permanent hair loss is not. Additionally, another 2014 study published in the National Institute for Cancer Research by Nicola Thorp and his colleagues found permanent alopecia in 10-15% of Taxotere patients.
In a study of 744 women who received the drug combination Taxotere, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide (TAC), about 687 women had alopecia. A small percentage of them did not get their hair back even after eight years of treatment.
Although not a life-threatening problem, permanent hair loss affects many women physically and emotionally. Even years after the end of chemotherapy, the hair does not grow back because Taxotere makes it permanent loss.
Neuropathy
Many women treated with docetaxel for breast cancer reported developing peripheral neuropathy in the first few years after treatment, according to the 2015 European Journal of Cancer study. About 10 percent of breast cancer patients taking Taxotere had symptoms more severe neuropathies than other normal patients. tingling and numbness. Gabapentin is sometimes prescribed to relieve symptoms, but most often to no avail as symptoms appear despite use.
leukemia
A very rare side effect of the drug is acute myeloid leukemia (AML). A study of around 745 participants, who were given Taxotere together with doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide (TAC), followed AML. One patient was reported dead.
Some patients may experience a drastic reduction in blood cells years after treatment. Patients who have received the combination of the above drugs should be closely monitored for leukemia, as these drugs can damage DNA in the bone marrow, where blood cells are made.
A research article published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology finds that when chemotherapy and radiation are used concomitantly in breast cancer patients, a small percentage of them may be at risk of developing leukemia (bone marrow neoplasms). even after 10 years of treatment.
Sight loss
Many people treated with Taxotere have faced vision problems or permanent vision loss after experiencing severe pain and cancer. The drug had salted his wounds by causing the devastating side effects of vision loss listed below.
- distorted vision
- Dry eye (keratoconjunctivitis)
- itchy or uncomfortable eyes
- Increased "floaters" in the eyes
- permanent eye damage
- swollen eyelids
- Tear duct obstruction (nasal tear duct obstruction)
- Narrowing or stenosis of the tear ducts
- Sight loss
- teary eyes (epiphora)
Let's look at basic information about the eye, how it works and how Taxotere infusion causes dysfunction. The lacrimal gland The lacrimal puncta, canaliculi (tear duct), lacrimal sac, and nasolacrimal duct are parts of the lacrimal system. Taxotere commonly leaks into the tear film after being injected intravenously to treat cancer.
The parts of the lacrimal system involved in tear drainage eventually develop fibrosis as Taxotere is secreted into the tears. The tear drainage system may eventually develop persistent stenosis (narrowing) as healing progresses. When this happens, the lacrimal system's ability to drain tears is affected. Chronic epiphora results from the persistent production of undraining tears (watery eyes). Visual impairment caused by this condition can be severe.
In 2001, an article published in the Journal of Ophthalmology reported on cancer patients who developed epiphora after a Taxotere infusion. The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) reported in a 2014 study that up to 64% of Taxotere patients were susceptible to epiphora.
Although this may be a temporary side effect of the medication, it should go away once treatment is complete. But in the case of the Taxotere victims, the symptoms did not go away. Additionally, many victims have reported loss of vision and excessive tearing of the eyes.
Patients have had to undergo procedures to implant silicone tubes to drain tears or undergo a dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) in which a new tear drain is created. In some cases, even the procedures could not help the victims.
Taxotere lawsuits against hair loss
Thousands of Taxotere alopecia lawsuits have been filed against the drug's manufacturers by women suffering from permanent hair loss. It is claimed that in 2005 Sanofi was aware of the adverse risks of permanent alopecia. Sanofi conducted a GEICAM 9805 study which found that approximately 9.2% developed permanent alopecia after Taxotere infusion.
As of October 2016, approximately 33 Taxotere lawsuits were consolidated as MDL 2740 under a single Louisiana judge, Jane Triche Milazzo. Within a year, the number of lawsuits grew to more than 2,000. Sanofi updated the warning label for the drug Taxotere in response to an FDA order in 2015, so the judge dismissed some 200 lawsuits alleging hair loss, alleging that the injuries occurred in the label update.
In September 2019, Bellwether's first lawsuit went to trial. However, the first lawsuit went in favor of the manufacturer, as the judge did not believe that the drug caused the permanent hair loss suffered by the plaintiff, Barbara Earnest.
Sanofi notched a second straight lead case victory with plaintiff Elizabeth Kahn in the 2021 Taxotere lawsuit. Elizabeth filed a lawsuit in 2016 alleging that the drug she was taking in 2008 caused her permanent hair loss. Following her loss, Elizabeth's lawyers told the media that she would appeal.
In early February 2022, Sanofi suffered a severe blow when lead plaintiff Barbara's appeal was reviewed and the verdict overturned by US Circuit 5th Circuit Judge Cory Wilson.
A federal appeals court overturned a jury verdict for Sanofi-Aventis U.S. in the first of thousands of court cases over its chemotherapy drug Taxotere@bgrz https://t.co/udIsL1s1pD pic.twitter.com/jqYv8r1PdT
– Reuters Legal (@ReutersLegal)February 11, 2022
What is the status of the Taxotere lawsuits? The scheduled date for Taxotere's third trial is not available. Sanofi is also facing multiple Taxotere lawsuits in California, Delaware, Mississippi and New Jersey. There are currently over 30,000 taxotere claims on the hair loss MDL.
When will the Taxotere lawsuits be settled? It is a recurring question in the minds of the plaintiffs. With early-stage hair loss lawsuits, it can take a year before the progress of the MDL is known.
Taxotere demands for loss of vision
As Taxotere hair loss lawsuits blared, on the one hand, many victims facing eye damage began filing lawsuits alleging vision loss against Sanofi-Aventis across the United States. epiphora).
There are more than 12,000 eye damage claims, grouped together as a separate MDL 3023 in the Louisiana Federal District Court under Judge Jane Triche Milazzo. Taxotere's 2022 lawsuit is in the pre-trial phase.
The plaintiffs in the Taxotere lawsuits allege that Sanofi failed to warn doctors or consumers despite being aware of the drug's long-lasting watery-eyed side effect.
A new study published in 2022 in the Journal of JAMA Ophthalmology supports the claims made by plaintiffs in the Taxotere vs. MDL lawsuits. Taxotere is claimed to cause optic neuropathy, cystoid macular edema (CME), and epiphora. Taxotere has been found to increase excessive tearing and watery eyes seven times.
Although the defense attempts to argue that the ocular injury warning was added to the label itself in 2002, the plaintiffs allege that the label failed to provide adequate warning, such as permanent tear duct damage or watery eyes.
As of January 2023, there are only about 180 plaintiffs in the Taxotere vision loss lawsuits. Experts wonder why the lawsuits filed are in the snail space. They hope that in 2023 more plaintiffs will come forward to fight the wrongdoers.
Stay in touch with LezDo for more information on the status of the MDLs on hair loss and eye damage. Taxotere Litigation Progress and Taxotere Litigation Disbursements, if any.
How can I win my Taxotere case?
If you experience any of the symptoms mentioned above, contact your GP to see if it is a result of the Taxotere infusion. Have all your signs and symptoms documented in the reportmedical records. Find an experienced Taxotere eye injury lawyer to discuss your case.
Please note that the claim must be filed within two years of the diagnosis of your tear duct injury or vision loss for it to be most valid. By filing your lawsuit within your state's statute of limitations, you avoid the possibility of your claim being denied.
Epiphora's devastating effects can affect both your physical and mental well-being. You should be successful in your lawsuit against the manufacturer for underplaying the severity of the adverse effects of tearing or for improperly marketing Taxotere.
An effective review of the clinical history ofyou're goingwill support your claim. LezDo can unearth the crucial evidence that could support your claim, be it in amedical timelineor the contradictory testimonies of the defense or of the defense experts indeposit statements.
Make your taxotere suit strong and stand out with a valid test to get a repair. We know that the irreversible damage the drug has caused may not be reversible, but at least compensation can help you manage your future medical expenses.
Damages Alleged in Taxotere Claims
The damages you can claim in Taxotere lawsuits for hair loss or eye damage are as follows:
- Medical expenses (past and present)
- Future medical expenses for medical device treatments and supplies
- pain and suffering
- emotional stress
- Permanent physical and mental disability
- Lohnaus waterfall
In conclusion,
Sanofi should face the consequences if a faulty drug is put on the market, even though it knows of its harmful side effects. Even if he claims to have been unaware of the danger, he should have withdrawn the drug from the market as soon as it was known and warned doctors and consumers of the impending dangers.
The lack of responsible action leaves Sanofi at the mercy of justice. It is the responsibility of citizens to make wrongdoers pay for their mistakes. Let's hope the verdicts in the Taxotere hair loss and eye injury lawsuits will take the plaintiffs' breath away and provide some solace to their endless suffering.
I hope the 2022 Taxotere lawsuit update provides some news on the Taxotere lawsuit amounts to ease the tensions of the victims.
Share your Taxotere injury stories with us. We will update the key occurrences in the Taxotere lawsuits soon.
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