Lawsuit Information Center
Depo-Provera is a female contraceptive injection (often called the “birth control shot”) that has been around for many years. A new scientific study has shown that using Depo-Provera can cause brain tumors.
Women who used Depo-Provera and subsequently developed a brain tumor can bring product liability lawsuits and get financial compensation from the drug manufacturer, Pfizer. This new evidence is expected to lead to a wave of Depo-Provera lawsuits across the country.
This page will provide the latest news and updates on the Depo-Provera lawsuits, as well as our estimate of their potential settlement value.
Our firm is currently accepting Depo-Provera lawsuits from anyone who used this drug at least two times and was later diagnosed with a brain tumor. If you meet these criteria, contact our Depo-Provera lawyers today at 800-553-8082 or contact us online.
Depo-Provera Lawsuit News and Updates
Our firm is committed to providing victims with the latest news and information on this new litigation.
September 17, 2024: The Depo-Provera meningioma brain tumor lawsuits begin to get national attention from mass tort lawyers across the country. FDA data regarding the number of women who received the Depo-Provera birth control shot suggest that the size of the potential plaintiff pool could be very large.
July 12, 2024: In response to the new evidence regarding meningioma brain tumors, Pfizer makes changes to the prescribing information and guidelines for Depo-Provera. But Pfizer has somehow not made any changes to the warning label for the drug.
April 25, 2024: The maker of Depo-Provera, Pfizer, released a public statement addressing the new BMJ study linking the birth control shot to meningioma brain tumors. Among other things, the statement from Pfizer indicated: “We are aware of this potential risk associated with long-term use of progestogens and, in collaboration with regulatory agencies, are in the process of updating product labels and patient information leaflets with appropriate wording.”
March 29, 2024: A study published in the British Medical Journal found that prolonged use of Depo-Provera causes a significant increase in the risk of developing meningioma brain tumors. The study found that women who used Depo-Provera were more than 5 times more likely to be diagnosed with meningiomas compared to women who never used the birth control shot.
Depo-Provera
Depo-Provera is the brand name for medroxyprogesterone acetate. Often called the birth control shot, is an injectable form of contraception for women. It is administered by injection (in the arm or butt) every three months and provides a highly effective, long-lasting option without the need for daily attention, as long as it is taken on schedule.
Depo-Provera contains a special type of synthetic hormone called progestin. This hormone prevents pregnancy by blocking the release of eggs during ovulation and thickening cervical mucus to prevent sperm from reaching the egg It also thickens the mucus lining of the cervix which helps keep out sperm.
When administered regularly, Depo-Provera is over 99% effective at stopping pregnancy. Although Depo-Provera is approved and designed for use as a contraceptive, it is sometimes prescribed for other gynecological conditions. For example, Depo-Provera is commonly use to help treatment the symptoms of endometriosis.
Depo-Provera was originally developed and patented by Pfizer, one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies. It was initially approved by the FDA for use in the U.S. back in 1992. Although Depo-Provera has been available in generic form for many years, most generic version of Depo-Provera are actually still manufactured by Pfizer and then sold as generics by various companies.
Study Links Depo-Provera to Brain Tumors
In March 2024, a significant new scientific study was released which found a clear link between the use of Depo-Provera and the development of specific type of brain tumor called a meningioma. The study was published in the British Medical Journal, a very prominent and well respected medical journal.
The study investigated the relationship between the use of certain hormone medications, known as progestogens, and the risk of developing a type of brain tumor called meningioma. The research focused on a variety of progestogens, analyzing data from the French National Health Data System, which included women who had undergone surgery for meningioma in France.
The study included 108,366 women, with 18,061 women who had undergone surgery for meningioma. So this is a big study.
The findings were significant in a few areas:
- Long-term use (defined as more than one year) of specific progestogens, including medrogestone, medroxyprogesterone acetate, and promegestone, was linked to an increased risk of developing meningiomas.
- Conversely, the study found no increased risk associated with other hormonal treatments such as progesterone, dydrogesterone, and some types of hormonal intrauterine devices (IUDs).
Our lawyers review many studies in drug litigations. One of the big numbers is the odds ratio. The odds ratio represents the likelihood of developing a condition among users compared to non-users. For example, an odds ratio of 2 would mean that users are approximately twice as likely to develop the condition.
In this case, the study looked at medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), which is Depo-Provera. For MPA, nine cases exposed out of 18,061 total cases (0.05%) vs. 11 controls exposed out of 90,305 total controls (0.01%). That is a stunning odds ratio of 5.55.
About Meningioma
A meningioma is a type of brain tumor that develops in the protective membranes that cover the brain. Meningiomas are the most common type of brain tumor, accounting for 40% of all reported tumors in the brain.
Most meningiomas are non-cancerous, but a certain percentage can be cancerous. Meningiomas are usually very slow growing tumors and may exist in the brain for many years without symptoms before eventually being diagnosed.
Meningiomas are categorized into three different grades:
- Grade I: Is a totally non-cancerous meningioma that grows very slowly. These account for 8 out of 10 meningioma cases.
- Grade II: A grade II meningioma is still non-cancerous, but it grows much more rapidly and is more difficult to treat.
- Grade III: These types of meningioma tumors are cancerous (malignant). They grow very fast and aggressively. These account for less than 2% of cases.
Even when a meningioma is non-cancerous, it can still have very serious health consequences. If the tumor continues to grow it can begin to damage surrounding nerves and other areas in the brain.
Depo-Provera Product Liability Lawsuits
Pharmaceutical companies, such as Pfizer, are legally obligated to ensure their products are safe for use and to provide clear warnings about potential risks. If a drug manufacturer fails to meet this responsibility, they can be held accountable for any harm their product causes.
The link between Depo-Provera and meningiomas was never listed as a potential risk or side effect in the drug warning label for Depo-Provera. Therefore, Pfizer can be held liable for negligent failure to warn.
Who Is Eligible to File a Depo-Provera Lawsuit?
Our law firm is look to bring a Depo-Provera lawsuit for women who received at least 2 injections of the Depo-Provera birth control shot and was subsequently diagnosed with a meningioma (or other type of brain tumor). These are our firm’s minimum eligibility criteria.
Individuals who used the Depo-Provera birth control shot for longer time periods will have much stronger Depo shot lawsuits than those who only used it a few times. But the belief is that twice is enough to have a viable claim.
Proof Needed for a Depo-Provera Lawsuit
Individuals who qualify for a Depo-Provera brain tumor lawsuit will eventually need to prove 2 key facts to support their claim: (1) that they used the Depo-Provera birth control shot, and (2) they were diagnosed with meningioma or another type of brain tumor.
Use of Depo-Provera can be proven with medical records such as records from the prescribing doctor. Insurance billing records can also be used to prove that the plaintiff used the birth control shot. Plaintiffs can also use medical records to prove that they have been diagnosed with a meningioma.
Why Pfizer May Face Significant Liability in Depo-Provera Lawsuits
Pfizer’s potential liability in Depo-Provera lawsuits stems, as we have been saying, from the fact that they failed to adequately warn consumers about the risk of developing meningioma brain tumors. Drug manufacturers are required by law to provide clear warnings about all known or reasonably foreseeable risks associated with their products. In the case of Depo-Provera, Pfizer did not include the risk of meningiomas on the drug’s warning label, despite growing evidence linking prolonged use of the birth control shot to this serious health condition.
This failure to warn could expose Pfizer to significant financial liability in product liability lawsuits. Plaintiffs will argue that if they had been informed about the tumor risk, they could have made a more informed decision about using the contraceptive. It is a pretty easy argument to make. So by never acting to update the label, it may be very easy to paint Pfizer as prioritizing profit over safety. If this argument lands with a jury, it will influence both jury perceptions and potential settlement amounts in the Depo shot litigation.
You have to remember how serious the injuries – and the fear of the injuries – are in this litigation. Ultimately, there are so many birth control options. Why pick the one that could cause you a brain tumor? Our lawyers believe this is litigation will be different from other birth control lawsuit settlements exact because the injury is both terrifying.
Depo-Provera Brain Tumor Lawsuit Settlement Amounts
Any projection of settlement amounts for Depo-Provera lawsuits should begin with some caveats. It is very early in this litigation to provide any accurate estimate of what the potential settlement compensation for Depo-Provera brain tumor cases could be. At this point, we still do not yet know if the scientific evidence will be admissible. But our lawyers can still make an educated guess based on various assumptions and based on settlement payouts in similar tort cases involving comparable facts and injuries.
Settlement Predictions
Assuming the causation evidence holds up in court, our lawyers think that successful Depo-Provera brain tumor cases with significant complications could have a potential settlement value of $275,000 to $500,000. The reason for this value range being so wide is primarily due to the varying degrees of severity with meningiomas
The difference in symptoms, prognosis, and treatment options between a Grade I (non-cancerous) meningioma and a malignant Grade III meningioma is very significant. A Grade III meningioma is potentially life threatening and very serious, while Grade I meningiomas are much less damaging and usually not life threatening.
How many cases will fall in each of these categories? At this point, we have no idea. But our attorneys think Grade III cases will have meaningful compensation. The trial value of those cases – the average settlement – could be in the tens of millions. If there is a global settlements, you will not see average payouts go that high…but these will be significant cases and some of them could settle for well over $1 million if this litigation plays out like we think it might.
Keep something else in mind. The defendant is Pfizer. That company is worth over $150 billion. It is flush with Covid profits and has the ability to pay global settlements in the billions without breaking much of sweat. This is a big deal. Our attorneys are involved with so many mass tort lawsuits now where the question of how much the defendant can really afford to pay creeps into the conversation. We do not have this problem with Depo-Provera lawsuits against Pfizer.
How Would a Depo-Provera Class Action Lawsuit Work?
In an MDL, you still keep your own personal lawsuit. Rather than having one single lawsuit representing all affected individuals, each plaintiff will filed their won separate Depo Provera brain tumor lawsuit. These suits would then consolidated under one federal court, where a single judge oversees the pre-trial processes, such as discovery (the exchange of evidence) and pre-trial motions.
The goal of an MDL is to streamline the litigation process by combining cases that share common issues—like the alleged connection between Depo-Provera and certain injuries—while still allowing for individualized outcomes for each plaintiff.
Once an MDL is created, cases can be settled individually or as part of a global settlement, where the defendant may offer a large settlement fund to resolve many cases at once.
Contact Us About a Depo-Provera Lawsuit
If you used Depo-Provera and were subsequently diagnosed with a meningioma or other type of brain tumor, contact our national product liability lawyers today at 800-553-8082 or contact us online.