Calif. Woman Says Sanofi-Aventis Chemo Drug Taxotere Causes Permanent Hair Loss

SAN FRANCISCO — In a new lawsuit, a California woman has accused the makers of Taxotere of misrepresenting the chemotherapy drug’s efficacy while failing to warn doctors and patients that it can cause permanent hair loss.

In a March 14 complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, plaintiff Ami Dodson further alleges that Sanofi-Aventis U.S. LLC and its subsidiary, Aventis Pharma S.A., aggressively marketed the drug for off-label uses.

Taxotere (paclitaxel), which is used in the treatment of various forms of cancer, including breast cancer, is part of a family of drugs known as …