TAXOTERE (docetaxel) MDL 2740 USDC ED Louisiana

Taxotere MDL 2740 Multidistrict Litigation

US District Court Eastern District of Louisiana

Chief Judge Kurt D. Englehardt     

    Taxotere MDL 2740  (Docetaxel) Product Liability Litigation (Defendant Sanofi-Aventis) is the official designation for the Multidistrict Litigation related to the Chemotherapy Cancer Treatments Drug Taxotere that causes permanent and disfiguring hair loss in women. All of the lawsuits were filed by people who experienced permanent hair loss (alopecia) after Taxotere was used in their chemotherapy treatment. Lawyers say Sanofi-Aventis knew about the risk and failed to issue warnings until December 2015. 

    Taxotere warning labels originally mentioned hair loss as a potential side effect, but stated that hair “generally grows back” after chemotherapy is complete. Then in December 2015, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) announced that the drug’s labeling would be updated with information stating that cases of permanent alopecia had been reported in cancer patients treated with the drug.

    It has been alleged that Sanofi knew for years that Taxotere may cause baldness and hair loss which may be permanent in some patients. In fact, the drug’s labeling was updated in Europe in 2005 and Canada in 2012, but the same warning wasn’t provided to American consumers until December 2015.

    On October 4, 2016 the Judical Panel on Multidistrict Litigation granted Plaintiffs Motion to Consolidate and Transfer pending Taxotere Permanent Hair Loss (Alopecia) cases to the US District Court, Eastern District of Lousiana and initially assigned to Judge Lance Africk and then reassigned to Judge Kurt Englehardt, Chief Judge of the Eastern District of Lousiana.