Depo Provera Lawsuit

Depo Provera, commonly known as the “birth control shot,” has recently been linked to brain tumors. Women who got the Depo-Provera shot and subsequently developed meningioma brain tumors are now able to file lawsuits against the drug manufacturer, Pfizer, and get financial compensation.

This page will discuss the Depo Provera brain tumor lawsuits and what you need to know if you have a potential case.

About Depo Provera

Depo-Provera is a birth control injection containing medroxyprogesterone acetate, a synthetic form of the hormone progestin. It’s administered as an intramuscular shot, typically in the upper arm or buttocks, once every three months. Depo-Provera works by:

Preventing Ovulation: It stops the ovaries from releasing eggs.

Thickening Cervical Mucus: This makes it harder for sperm to reach an egg.

Thinning the Uterine Lining: Reducing the likelihood of a fertilized egg implanting.

When used correctly, Depo-Provera is over 99% effective at preventing pregnancy. However, it does not protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Some side effects include changes in menstrual cycles (irregular bleeding or spotting), weight gain, mood changes, decreased bone density, and delayed return to fertility after stopping the injections.

Depo Provera was initially approved by the FDA in the early 1990s. Prior to that, however, the FDA had rejected several other applications for earlier versions of Depo Provera based on concerns that it could increase the risk of cancer.

Hundreds of thousands of women in the U.S. have used Depo Provera. At least one study estimated that around a ¼ of all sexually active women in the U.S. used Depo Provera at between 2015 and 2019.

Evidence Shows that Depo Provera Can Cause Meningiomas

In March 2024, a groundbreaking scientific study was published in the highly respected British Medical Journal, identifying a clear link between the use of Depo-Provera and the development of a specific type of brain tumor called meningioma.

The study examined the relationship between certain hormone medications known as progestogens and the risk of developing meningioma. Focusing on a range of progestogens, the research analyzed data from the French National Health Data System, which included women in France who had undergone surgery for meningioma.

The study was extensive, involving 108,366 women, of whom 18,061 had undergone surgery for meningioma. The study found that long-term use (defined as more than one year) of specific progestogens—including medrogestone, medroxyprogesterone acetate, and promegestone—was associated with a heightened risk of developing meningiomas.

No increased risk was found with other hormonal treatments, such as progesterone, dydrogesterone, and some hormonal intrauterine devices (IUDs).

One notable statistic was the odds ratio, which reflects the likelihood of developing the condition among users versus non-users. For medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), the active ingredient in Depo-Provera, the odds ratio was particularly high. Out of 18,061 cases of meningioma, nine had used MPA (0.05%), compared to 11 among 90,305 controls (0.01%), resulting in an odds ratio of 5.55. This substantial figure indicates that users of MPA are more than five times as likely to develop meningiomas as non-users, a rare and powerful finding in drug litigation research.

About Meningiomas

A meningioma is a type of brain tumor that arises from the meninges, the layers of tissue covering the brain and spinal cord. Meningiomas are typically *benign*, slow-growing tumors, although some can be atypical or malignant (cancerous). They are the most common type of primary brain tumor in adults and are more common in women, likely due to hormonal factors, as some meningiomas have receptors for hormones like progesterone and estrogen.

Symptoms: Depending on size and location, symptoms can include headaches, seizures, vision changes, difficulty with movement or balance, or memory issues. Small, asymptomatic meningiomas may not require treatment and are monitored with regular imaging.

Diagnosis: Meningiomas are typically diagnosed through imaging tests like MRI or CT scans. A biopsy may also be performed to determine whether the tumor is benign or malignant.

Treatment: Treatment depends on factors such as tumor size, location, and whether it’s causing symptoms. Options include:

• Observation: For slow-growing, asymptomatic tumors.
• Surgery: To remove the tumor if accessible.
• Radiation Therapy: For inoperable tumors or to target any remaining cells post-surgery
• Medication: In cases where hormonal factors are at play, certain medications may be explored, though this approach is still being studied
• While most meningiomas are benign, they can cause significant symptoms if they grow large enough to press on brain structures.

Depo Provera Lawsuits

Pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer have a legal duty to ensure their products are reasonably safe for consumers and to provide clear, accurate warnings about potential risks. This obligation falls under “strict liability” for failure to warn, meaning that even if a drug itself isn’t defective, a manufacturer may still be liable if they fail to disclose serious, foreseeable side effects or risks.

When a drug manufacturer neglects this responsibility, they can be held accountable for harm caused by their product. Both patients and healthcare providers rely on manufacturers’ safety information when choosing medications. A drug’s warning label is essential to this process, as it must include all known or reasonably knowable risks. This information is crucial for informed prescribing by doctors and for patients to weigh the drug’s benefits against potential risks.

In the case of Depo-Provera, the potential link between the drug and meningiomas wasn’t listed as a risk or side effect on its warning label. Lawsuits involving Depo-Provera allege that Pfizer knew, or should have known, about this risk and that its failure to update the warning label constitutes a failure to warn.

Had Pfizer disclosed the increased risk of meningiomas associated with Depo-Provera, the likely outcome would have been a reduction in sales. Many patients would likely have chosen other contraceptive options, and healthcare providers would have been more cautious in prescribing it, especially for long-term use. With so many birth control choices available, transparency about these risks could have significantly influenced the decisions of both patients and physicians, potentially leading to safer alternatives.

Eligibility Criteria for Depo Provera Lawsuit

Our firm is currently seeking and accepting new Depo Provera lawsuits across the country. To be eligible to file a Depo Provera brain tumor lawsuit, prospective plaintiffs must meet the following criteria:

• 6 months of Depo Provera use (longer term use will make the case stronger)
• Subsequent diagnosis with meningioma tumors

Depo Provera Class Action Lawsuit

Given the number of women that used Depo Provera in the U.S., the size of the potential plaintiff field is very large. This means that we will likely see thousands of Depo Provera brain tumor lawsuits filed across the country, turning this into a classic mass tort.

The Depo Provera lawsuits in federal courts (which will account for almost all of them) will eventually be consolidated into a “class action” MDL (Multidistrict Litigation). An MDL is not a traditional class action, but it is very similar and in many ways it has replaced the old school class action format for mass tort litigation.

When a Depo Provera MDL is created, all Depo Provera lawsuits in various federal courts across the country will be consolidated together and transferred to a single judge in a chosen federal district. This allows for a consolidated process of discovery and fact gathering which is much more efficient for both plaintiffs and the defense.

After the consolidated discovery phase is finished, the next step in an MDL is to select a handful of representative sample cases for jury trials. These trials are referred to as bellwether trials. The purpose of the bellwether trials is to give both sides an idea of what to expect if all of the cases went to trial. This information is then supposed to facilitate negotiations for a global settlement which will resolve all of the hundreds or thousands of other cases.

In most mass tort MDLs, a global settlement deal is brokered before the bellwether trial stage. The reason for this is because the bellwether trials present a massive risk for the defense because the trial could result in a multi-million (or even multi-billion) dollar verdict. Massive verdicts capture public attention and give the plaintiffs significant leverage, so most defense teams try to avoid this risk if possible.

Projected Settlement Payouts for Depo Provera Lawsuits

At this early stage of the litigation, projecting the settlement payouts for Depo Provera brain tumor cases is pure speculation. We don’t even know if the scientific evidence in these cases will be admissible in court (although we are pretty sure it will be). But if we make certain assumptions, we can offer an educated guess about the eventually settlement value of these cases.

Our lawyers are currently projecting the settlement value of Depo Provera lawsuits to be $275,000 to $500,000. Where an individual case falls on this wide value range will depend mostly on 2 factors:

• Injury Severity: The severity of the plaintiff’s meningioma turmors will be the most important factor in determining the settlement value of their case. Meningiomas come in different grades of severity with a wide range of impacts and treatment options.
• Length of Use: The evidence linking Depo Provera to meningiomas indicates that women who used Depo Provera for longer time periods will have much stronger claims.

Contact Us About a Depo Provera Lawsuit

If you used the Depo Provera birth control shot and were later diagnosed with meningioma tumors, call our lawyers today at 800-553-8082 or contact us online.