Tasigna Atherosclerosis Lawsuit News

Health Canada Issued a Tasigna Health Warning In 2013

Canadian health officials warn of life-threatening side effects of anti-cancer chemotherapy drug Tasigna, telling doctors in Canada to take precautions before, during, and after giving patients the drug

Monday, October 16, 2017 - Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis AG, the maker of the popular anti-cancer chemotherapy drug Tasigna (nilotinib), warned Canadian health officials in April of 2013 of the potential for the drug to cause deadly side effects. Working in collaboration with Health Canada, Novartis issued critical side effect information following reports of Tasigna patients developing heart disease after being treated with Tasigna chemotherapy. The Canadian health agency also stated that Tasigna could be linked to other atherosclerosis-related diseases as well. Health Canada put the side effects of Tasigna this way: "In patients taking TASIGNA*, the following side effects related to atherosclerosis have been reported during clinical trials: peripheral arterial occlusive disease (hardening and narrowing of the arteries that supply blood to the arms and legs), femoral artery stenosis (hardening and narrowing of the arteries located in the upper thigh), coronary artery stenosis (narrowing or hardening of the arteries supplying the heart that causes angina (chest pain), carotid artery stenosis (narrowing or hardening of the carotid artery in the neck), and cerebrovascular accident (stroke).

Tasigna is a potent anti-cancer drug and is given to adult cancer patients in the late stages of chronic myeloid leukemia, an often deadly form of cancer. Clinical trials have revealed cases of atherosclerosis in those using Tasigna. Both Novartis and Health Canada recommend that Tasigna patients be monitored for "lipid and glucose" profiles, i.e., high levels of cholesterol and sugar in the blood, that could lead to the building up of plaque in the arteries or indicate the presence of atherosclerosis. Health Canada recommends potential Tasigna patients undergo screening prior to beginning Tasigna treatments to eliminate those that exhibit the signs of the blood disorder as well as undergo monitoring during and especially after Tasigna chemotherapy is given to healthy adults.

In addition to the health warning issued by Health Canada, the agency recommends the monitoring of marketing materials issued by Novartis which dramatically underestimate the health dangers of Tasigna. The Canadian government relies on the public and health care officials to report cases of atherosclerosis-related side effects of Tasigna on an on-going basis by writing to Health Canada.

Drug side effect warnings are critical for a patient's health and one has the right to know all of the facts in order to make an informed decision. Although the life-threatening side effects of Tasigna were made known to the Canadian government, no such effort was made to inform the multi-billion dollar American cancer drug market. Novartis AG continued to market and sell Tasigna in the United States without making an effort to alert cancer physicians or the American market. Lawsuits against Novartis AG allege the company knew this and cite the company's increasing their drug marketing efforts in the United States using questionable marketing techniques one of which was to ignore the Canadian health department warnings.

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.