Lambert Firm Attorney Appointed To Taxotere Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee

New Orleans, LA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 11/18/2016 --The Louisiana-based attorneys at The Lambert Firm are currently reviewing potential lawsuits on behalf of patients who suffered permanent hair loss after using the drug Taxotere for chemotherapy. More than 33 hair loss lawsuits have been filed across the United States alleging that Taxotere's manufacturer, Sanofi-Aventis, failed to warn patients and doctors of the potential for permanent baldness as a result of taking the drug.

Taxotere Hair Loss

While temporary baldness is commonly associated with chemotherapy treatment, multiple studies have linked Taxotere treatment with permanent hair loss (alopecia), which is not a common side effect of other equally effective chemotherapy drugs on the market.

Approved by the FDA in 1996, Taxotere is a commonly prescribed treatment for early-stage breast cancer. It is also used to treat non-small cell lung cancer, advanced stomach cancer, metastatic prostate cancer, head cancer and neck cancer.

In both Canada and Europe, Taxotere carried a warning of the possibility of permanent hair loss as early as 2005. However, in the United States, the label for Taxotere did not include a warning regarding permanent hair loss until after December 2015 when the FDA acknowledged various reports of permanent hair loss among cancer patients who used Taxotere.

Effects of Permanent Alopecia

Alopecia is the medical term for the condition of hair loss. Hair loss can occur with any type of chemotherapy or radiation treatment. It may occur gradually, may happen to only sections of hair, or may result in total baldness. Hair loss is typically temporary after cancer treatment, with hair re-growing a few months after treatment is completed.

For patients treated with Taxotere, permanent hair loss is a potential side effect. Permanent hair loss can take a very damaging emotional and psychological toll, especially on women cancer patients, leading to loss of self-esteem, loss of self-confidence, anxiety and depression.

"Sanofi-Aventis had a legal and moral duty to inform patients and doctors about the possible side effects of this medication, including the possibility of permanent hair loss," said Hugh Lambert, founder of The Lambert Firm. "They failed in this duty and should be held accountable for the damages they caused."

Experienced Multi-District Litigation Attorneys

When many similar civil claims involving a complex common issue are filed in federal court, such as in the case of the recently filed Taxotere lawsuits, the claims are often combined into multi-district litigation to allow federal courts to efficiently manage related cases that are filed in different jurisdictions. The MDL court oversees and streamlines pretrial proceedings and discovery in order to conserve time and resources.

The Taxotere attorneys at The Lambert Firm have extensive experience handling multi-district litigation, including the FEMA Trailer Formaldehyde Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 1873, the Deepwater Horizon Oil Litigation, MDL No. 2179, and the Chinese Drywall Litigation, MDL No. 2047, among others. Additionally, the Taxotere attorneys at The Lambert Firm are currently involved in the Xarelto Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2657, a pharmaceutical drug MDL pending before District Judge Eldon Fallon of the Eastern District of Louisiana.

Xarelto is a prescription blood thinner used to reduce the risk of stroke and embolism in patients with heart rhythm disorder. In 2014, plaintiffs began filing lawsuits against the drug's makers, Bayer AG and Janssen, due to serious side effects associated with the drugs.

Emily Jeffcott, a mass torts attorney with The Lambert Firm, currently serves on the Xarelto PSC briefing and bellwether committees and is principal counsel for one of four bellwether plaintiffs.

On November 17, 2016, Ms. Jeffcott was appointed to the Taxotere Plaintiffs' Steering Committee (PSC), which will conduct and coordinate the discovery stage of litigation with the defendants' representatives and/or committee. Ms. Jeffcott will serve on the PSC for a term commencing immediately until January 1, 2018, and will play an integral role in the Taxotere litigation.

Get Help With Taxotere Hair Loss Lawsuits

If you or a loved one suffered permanent hair loss after treatment with Taxotere, contact The Lambert Firm today at 800-521-1750 to get more information and discuss a possible lawsuit with our experienced mass torts attorneys.