Depo-Provera Lawsuit

As of December 2024, Depo-Provera brain tumor lawsuits are still in the early stages. Lawyers are investigating cases from people who suffered meningioma, tumors in the membrane covering the brain, after using Depo-Provera or Depo-SubQ Provera birth control shots.

We do the legal research by talking to lawyers and reviewing court documents to bring you the latest updates on Depo-Provera lawsuits.

About 74 million women worldwide use Depo-Provera, also widely known as the birth control shot, according to BMJ study authors. Serious Depo-Provera side effects include significant bone density loss, slight increase in breast cancer risk and blood clots.

Earlier Depo-Provera lawsuits claimed Pfizer failed to warn the public about the risk of pseudotumor cerebri and bone density loss. Drugwatch’s legal partners aren’t accepting cases for these injuries, and this page focuses on Depo-Provera brain tumor lawsuits.

If you took Depo-Provera, Depo-SubQ Provera or a generic form of these birth control shots and were later diagnosed with meningioma, you may qualify for a Depo-Provera shot lawsuit.

To qualify for a lawsuit with our legal partners, you must meet specific criteria, including length of Depo-Provera use, number of times the shot was used and a specific injury diagnosis.

These are just guidelines, and you should contact a Depo-Provera lawyer for a free case evaluation to find out about your specific.

Keep in mind that each state has a time limit to file a claim called the statute of limitations. Depending on the state you live in, you may not qualify based on state laws. Make sure you contact an attorney right away to preserve your legal right to file a claim.

“If you’ve been diagnosed with a meningioma after using Depo-Provera, Depo-SubQ Provera, or their generic equivalents, you may qualify for a lawsuit. Consulting with a qualified attorney can help determine if your case meets the specific legal and medical requirements for filing a claim,” said Brendan Smith, an attorney with Simmons Hanly Conroy.

According to a March 2024 study published in BMJ, Depo-Provera is linked to a higher risk of developing meningioma, a type of noncancerous tumor that forms in the lining of the brain called the meninges. Study authors found that Depo-Provera users had a 5.6-fold increase in the risk of developing meningioma with long-term use.

This risk increase was more than any other birth control method studied. However, since this was an observational study, researchers cannot say for sure that the shot causes meningioma.

“The [March 2024 study] recently published in BMJ is the first to assess the risk associated with progestogens that are much more widely used for multiple indications, such as contraception. This population-based study shows an association between the prolonged use of medrogestone (5 mg), medroxyprogesterone acetate injection (also called Depo-Provera) (150 mg), and promegestone (0.125, 0.25, 0.5 mg) and a risk of intracranial meningioma requiring surgery,” according to Drugwatch expert and oncology clinical pharmacy specialist, Dazhi Liu.

The BMJ study led to lawyers investigating claims from women who took the birth control shot and later developed meningioma. The birth control shot has been on the market since the early 1990s and doesn’t have any warnings about developing tumors in the brain’s lining. Fortunately, meningiomas are not typically malignant, and the study didn’t find any malignant tumors in women who used Depo-Provera.

However, these tumors can affect nearby brain tissue, nerves and blood vessels and cause serious disability. When this happens, the tumor must be surgically removed, and brain surgery may have serious risks.

Pfizer told the Guardian, “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.”

In addition to the current litigation on Depo-Provera and brain tumors, plaintiffs have filed Depo-Provera lawsuits for pseudotumor cerebri and loss of bone mineral density.

Pseudotumor Cerebri Lawsuits

Plaintiffs filed lawsuits that claimed Depo-Provera could cause pseudotumor cerebri, a condition that occurs when pressure builds up in the brain, mimicking a tumor. Lawsuits claimed Pfizer didn’t warn the public about the risk.

Some women also filed Mirena lawsuits for this condition. There have been no publicly announced settlements or jury verdicts from Depo-Provera or Mirena litigation for this injury claim.

Bone Density Lawsuits

Some women also filed bone density lawsuits, however, there were no notable settlements or jury verdicts in the U.S. The lawsuits claimed Pfizer failed to warn that Depo-Provera could lower bone density that could lead to osteopenia and osteoporosis. In the U.S., Pfizer added a black box warning to Depo-Provera’s medication label in 2004.

Canadian women filed a class action against Pfizer in May 2008. The lawsuit claimed Pfizer misrepresented the risk of significant and potentially irreversible bone mineral density loss with Depo-Provera.

In September 2021, Pfizer paid $1,913,750 to the class and $262,500 to health insurance companies to settle these Canadian class action claims.

When finding a Depo-Provera lawyer, we recommend seeking out a lawyer that has experience in handling pharmaceutical injury lawsuits and has a good track record of obtaining settlements and jury verdicts against large corporations. For example, Drugwatch’s partners have decades of experience taking on companies such as Johnson & Johnson, Bayer and Pfizer — the maker of Depo-Provera.

They have track records of negotiating settlements and winning jury verdicts on behalf of their clients. These firms have recovered billions on behalf of their clients, and they have the resources to fight these drug companies in court. They can also help guide you through the process.

“If you’re thinking about filing a lawsuit over Depo-Provera, there are a few things you should keep in mind. First, you’ll need to show that your use of the shot is linked to developing a meningioma, which usually involves gathering medical records and expert opinions,” Solomon said.

You can get in touch with an experienced product liability lawyer by signing up for a free case evaluation on Drugwatch. After reviewing your contact form, our legal partners will get in touch with you to ask you a few questions about your Depo-Provera usage. Then, they will let you know if they can help.