Sanofi: A Legacy Of Bad Faith And Fines

Sanofi is the pharmaceutical company responsible for making Taxotere, the chemotherapy drug which has caused users to suffer from permanent tearing and other eye-related issues. 

The multinational pharmaceutical company is headquartered in France, and as of 2013, has been one of the world’s largest leaders in prescription sales. Unfortunately, those sales often come at the price of the health of users. 

A series of lawsuits and bad faith actions have dogged the pharmaceutical giant as of late. 

But there is hope. You do NOT have to accept the negligent actions of any pharmaceutical company that has taken advantage of you. Our committed team of pharmaceutical lawsuit attorneys here at Hotze Runkle PLLC are ready to help you take a stand against those who harmed you.

Continue reading to learn more about the legal issues Sanofi has faced. 

Acts Of Bad Faith

Sanofi disclosed to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs that they had, in fact, through some faulty calculations, overcharged the VA from 2007 to 2011. If that’s not bad enough, The Office of Inspector General for the VA dug deeper into the matter, determining that the error also resulted in overcharges going all the way back to 2002. 

Additionally, Sanofi once sponsored a study called GEICAM 9805. The study revealed that over 9.2 percent of women who used the chemo drug suffered permanent hair loss, or alopecia. While Sanofi had warned users across the globe for years, the company never warned users in the United States of this risk. 

“Permanent hair loss” or “alopecia” was not visible in any information published in the U.S., according to the various lawsuits. 

In another act of bad faith, a 2015 lawsuit was filed by one of Sanofi’s former employees, in which it was alleged that the company engaged in illegal kickbacks to coerce health care professionals into prescribing Taxotere. Perhaps it is no coincidence that Taxotere’s sales soared. 

Many of Taxotere lawsuits claim the drug’s sales soared from $424 million in 2000 to well over $1.4 billion in 2004 through misrepresentation, misdirection and illegal payments.

Sanofi Faces Lawsuits

Sanofi has paid nearly $40 million in fines following criminal convictions overseas. The fines were leveled at the company over bribes paid by employees to consultants for one of the company’s numerous clients from 2007 and 2010. 

If that’s not enough, a lawsuit over kickbacks paid to various medical experts was filed. Within that lawsuit, it was revealed that there was an actual attempt to defraud the government through false price reports. The lawsuit resulted in Sanofi having to pony up over $109 million in a mammoth settlement.

The settlement for this lawsuit also resolved allegations that Sanofi submitted false average sales price reports for Hyalgan, but ultimately failed to account for all the free units distributed on Hyalgan purchases. The U.S. government alleges that the false ASP reports resulted in government programs having to pay inflated amounts not only for Hyalgan, but for a competing product as well. 

Unfortunately, it appears Sanofi’s legacy maybe tarnished as a result of these underhanded tactics. Many people suffering from the side effects of Sanofi’s drugs are still coming out of the woodwork; it seems that things are only going to get worse for the once-powerhouse company. 

Have you suffered as a result of undergoing chemotherapy treatment with Taxotere? Your injury and pain deserve justice. Let the legal representatives of Hotze Runkle PLLC serve your needs and provide you with the commitment of a team that can get the job done.

If you or a loved one has suffered adverse effects as a result of Taxotere, contact a team that fights to earn your trust — contact Hotze Runkle PLLC.

Our team of experienced and highly qualified lawyers has the ability to make the pharmaceutical company that harmed you pay for the damages they have caused. Reach us today at (877) 919-0830 to learn more about how we can put our years of experience to work fighting for you.


About Defective Drug Lawsuits & Your Taxotere Permanent Tearing Claim

Unfortunately, we hear way too often of defective drugs and pharmaceutical products being placed on the market which end up causing users unexpected health issues. Some drugs have nasty side effects that overpower the actual benefits, some are tainted during production, and possibly worst of all, some have side effects that aren’t fully disclosed to the drug-buying public.

When you have suffered physical and monetary damages as a result of a defective drug, you may have the right to pursue legal action against the party (or parties) that harmed you.

At Hotze Runkle PLLC, our national litigation team has been monitoring the experiences of breast cancer survivors and chemotherapy patients who have suffered from using Taxotere. Because defective drugs and medical devices can fall under product liability claims, it is important for those seeking to file a claim to understand what evidence is needed to support their case.

How Can Pharmaceutical Lawsuits Come About?

There are three major types of lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies:

1. Design defect.

When drugs are defectively designed, they can cause a host of dangerous side effects. These problems have nothing to do with the medicine’s manufacturing process.

2. Drug manufacturing defects.

The issue with the drug occurs in the manufacturing process. For instance, a harmful chemical can taint the formulation, causing the medication to be harmful for the user.

3. Failure to warn/improper instructions on medications.

A manufacturer failed to provide adequate warning about side effects and potential risks or failed to provide proper instructions and information essential to the safe consumption of the drug.

Product liability claims work through strict liability. This means that the pharmaceutical company can be held liable without the plaintiff having to prove negligence or fault.

Can You Sue the Pharmaceutical Company Responsible?

Yes, the manufacturer responsible for the defective drug can be held liable. Unfortunately, these lawsuits can take an extensive amount of time to come to an end. From the initial recognition that the drug is defective to the discovery process during which evidence emerges and then the actual litigation process, there is plenty that goes into a product liability lawsuit.

Since a great deal of people take these medications, it’s often necessary to form class action lawsuits. These are cases in which numerous plaintiffs come together to take a drug manufacturer to court.

A handful of states have contributory negligence or something that is known as comparative fault. This simply means that if the plaintiff had any sort of contribution to his or her own injuries, that might bar recovery to some degree.

When the plaintiff is aware of the risk involved in using a drug and uses the product anyway, and becomes injured as a result, this can result in a loss of said damages. This all comes down to the plaintiff’s state of mind. It calls into question whether he/she clearly disregarded the danger of using the product.

What About Substantial Modification?

If the plaintiff modified the product and that change caused the injury, the manufacturer will likely not be held liable. Why? Because that modification was the direct cause of harm. This is what’s known as substantial modification.

However, if the manufacturer could predict that the consumer would alter the product, they might still be found liable.

How Long Do I Have to File a Claim?

Depending on the state, the plaintiff only has so long to file a claim. If the statute of limitations has expired, the manufacturer cannot be held liable. This can cause difficulty in defective drug cases if the plaintiff does not notice a problem until months or years after the injury has taken place.

If you or a loved one has suffered from permanent tearing as a result of being treated by the chemotherapy drug Taxotere, contact Hotze Runkle PLLC today at (877) 919-0830. We are currently investigating claims made by for breast cancer survivors and chemotherapy patients.