Cancer Patients Should View Novartis' New Tasigna Label With Scepticism

Swiss pharmaceutical maker Novartis AG has a history of illegally and overzealously marketing their drugs while conveniently neglecting to mention their side effects

Friday, September 28, 2018 - Everywhere you look online Novartis is exaggerating their claim that Tasigna patients may actually discontinue using the drug when they go into remission. Such a claim implies that the drug is more effective in treating cancer than its competitors. Cancer patients were required to take cancer drugs permanently up until now to keep the disease under control. Discontinuing Tasigna treatment would seem attractive to those suffering from chemotherapy's typical side effects such as nausea, vomiting, headaches, weight loss, and hair loss. Studies indicate that Tasigna may be discontinued in a small number of patients. Recent tests have shown that cancer returns to about half of Tasigna's patients that discontinue its usage within 3 years. The company went as far as to coax the FDA to allow them to reliable Tasigna to include the phrase " Treatment-free Remission" in the drug's label. This is not the first time that Novartis has oversold the features of Tasigna while ignoring the drugs side effects.

In 2015, sales of Tasigna were suspended by Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare citing "repeated violations of failure to report adverse events properly," according to the Japan Times. Novartis has been responsible for numerous scandals with their other drugs including data-tampering and false advertising. An investigation in Japan showed that 10 of the 3000 leukemia patients given Tasigna reported serious side effects that Novartis failed to report. In addition, Novartis sales reps are being accused of "serious misconduct in a trial of its leukemia drug Tasigna. Employees were accused of breaking trial protocols in data collection and patient privacy, and attempting to cover up their missteps by shredding and deleting documents."

In South Korea, Novartis was fined a hefty amount for another incident of unethical and illegal drug marketing practices. South Korea fined Novartis "$55.1 billion won ($48.80 million) for offering doctors kickbacks to recommend the company's drugs, and also suspended insurance coverage for some of its drugs." Six Novartis employees faced indictment for the illegal marketing schemes.

In the United States, Novartis was fined $1 billion by the US Department of Justice, settling for a payment of $390 million for their role in illegally marketing a series of drugs including Tasigna by bribing specialty pharmacists to promote the drug over others. Novartis sales reps offered bribes and conducted illegal sales contests to reward pharmacists that sold the most Novartis drugs with cash bonuses. Cancer patients had no idea they were receiving Tasigna a more potent drug, and the drug's deadly side effects were kept from them. Tasigna patients develop atherosclerosis, a thickening, and hardening of the arteries leading to the extremities, the heart, and the brain. Tasigna patients needing coronary bypass surgery may fail to make the connection to Tasigna. Tasigna patients that require heart surgery should consult a Tasigna atherosclerosis lawyer to see if they qualify to file a claim for monetary compensation and to hold Novartis accountable for their deliberate deception.

More Recent Tasigna Atherosclerosis Lawsuit News:

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.