Tasigna Atherosclerosis Trial Set to Proceed

Anti-cancer chemotherapy drugs are so toxic that the body's arteries may be incapable of handling them

Tuesday, August 14, 2018 - Novartis, maker of anti-cancer chemotherapy drug Tasigna is set to stand trial to defend against allegations that their failure to warn consumers of Tasigna's deadly atherosclerosis risk led to the plaintiff developing the disease.

Florida cancer patient Dennis McWilliams alleges that the paralyzing stroke he suffered was as a result of his use of the drug Tasigna to treat his Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) and that Novartis AG knew for years and warned the Canadian health administration, Health Canada as early as 2013 of Tasigna's unique health risks but failed to warn the American medical community. Tasigna warning labels and website addendum have been updated to include stroke, heart attack, and atherosclerosis as potential side effects of taking Tasigna. McWilliams claims Novartis had the responsibility to label Tasigna to warn of the stroke risk when they became aware of the fact.

Atherosclerosis is an often fatal and irreversible disease where fatty elements of the blood called plaque stick to the inner walls of the major arteries leading to the extremities, heart, and brain, causing a narrowing of the passageway. Atherosclerosis irritates the artery's inner walls and causes the normally perfectly smooth surface to become irritated and rough. The blood clings to this rough inner surface and rapidly accumulates. Atherosclerosis blood flow manifests itself in Tasigna cancer patients in several ways.

First is the fact that decreased blood flow to extremities eventually results in no blood flow at all. When atherosclerosis gets to this stage, the toes start to develop gangrene, or blacken and begin to rot away. Necrosis is irreversible therefore amputation is the only method of treatment.

A second health issue that can occur from atherosclerosis is when a chunk of fatty plaque breaks free from the artery's inner wall and gets stuck in the smaller veins on its path to the heart or brain leading to a complete blockage of blood to the vital organ. The result can be an immediate paralyzing stroke or sudden death from a heart attack.

Doctors are now warned to pre-screen potential Tasigna patient and to exclude those with heart problems or blood abnormalities from using Tasigna. All other need to have a full set of blood tests as well as an Electrocardiogram (ECG) to act as a baseline for comparison to future tests. This process must be repeated during and after patients healthy enough to take Tasigna start treatment to monitor for signs of atherosclerosis.

Tasigna patient should be alert for the signs that atherosclerosis has developed. Throbbing in the thigh, tingling and numbness in the feet and toes are early indications of atherosclerosis as are lethargy, chest pain and difficulty breathing after exercising or walking up a flight of stairs. Tasigna patients suffering from atherosclerosis are urged to consult a Tasigna atherosclerosis attorney to see if they qualify to file a claim against the drug maker.

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Lawyers for Tasigna Atherosclerosis Lawsuits

Attorneys handling Tasigna lawsuits for leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and multiple myeloma offer free, no-obligation case review for individuals and families who believe they may have grounds to file a Tasigna lawsuit. Working on a contingency basis, these attorneys are committed to never charging legal fees unless they win compensation in your Tasigna lawsuit. The product liability litigators handling Roundup claims at the Onder Law Firm have a strong track record of success in representing families harmed by dangerous drugs and consumer products.