Depo-Provera Birth Control Lawsuit
If you or a loved one developed a meningioma brain tumor after prolonged use of Depo-Provera, you may be eligible to file a Depo-Provera lawsuit. You might be entitled to compensation.
Depo-Provera, made by Pfizer, is a commonly used form of birth control. It is an injection administered every three months and contains the hormone progestin. In addition to birth control, it is sometimes used to manage medical conditions like endometriosis and abnormal uterine bleeding.
Depo-Provera Lawsuits center on allegations that prolonged use of the injectable contraceptive caused serious health issues, including intracranial meningiomas—tumors that form on the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Plaintiffs claim that Pfizer failed to adequately warn patients and healthcare providers about these risks despite decades of scientific evidence linking progestin-based drugs to meningiomas.
Pharmaceutical companies are required to perform clinical safety tests and provide adequate warnings of potential risks before placing their products on the market. If a patient or doctor does not know the possible adverse effects associated with a drug, they don’t have the ability to make an informed decision regarding treatment options or choosing a different form of treatment to protect oneself from injury or illness. Drug companies should be held liable for failing to adequately warn patients about the harmful effects of using their drugs.
At FrancoLaw, we have the experience and resources to stand up against drug manufacturers and hold them accountable for the harm they have caused. We will be your advocate and fight by your side for the justice and compensation you deserve. For a free consultation to discuss the circumstances of your injury and determine the available legal options, call FrancoLaw today at (888) 213-0761.
What Is Depo-Provera?
Depo-Provera (depot medroxyprogesterone acetate) is a progestin injection that was approved for contraception by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1992. The birth control injection is administered every three months and is widely prescribed due to its convenience and effectiveness. Depo-Provera is offered in a high dose (150 mg) injection or a lower dose (104 mg) injection known as Depo-subQ Provera 104. It is estimated that around one to two million women in the United States use Depo-Provera annually.
What is a Meningioma?
A meningioma is a tumor of the meninges, the tissue layers lining the brain and spine. While most meningiomas are benign, around 15% can become malignant (cancerous). Even for meningiomas that remain “benign,” any tumor growing in the brain can exert pressure on nearby brain tissue, nerves and blood vessels and can lead to serious neurological complications, including vision loss, seizures, severe migraines, dizziness, cognitive impairment, loss of balance, hearing loss and even death. Meningiomas grow slowly, sometimes over several years without causing symptoms; however, when they affect nearby brain structures, they can lead to significant disabilities. Meningiomas often require highly invasive brain surgery to remove the tumor.
According to the National Cancer Institute, meningiomas are categorized into three grades (I, II, or III) according to their specific characteristics:
- Grade I meningiomas: These are the most common of these types of tumors. They are considered low-grade tumors, meaning they grow slowly.
- Grade II, or atypical meningiomas: These mid-grade tumors have a higher likelihood of recurrence after surgical removal.
- Grade III, or anaplastic meningiomas: These tumors are malignant (cancerous). They are characterized by rapid growth.
Depo-Provera and Brain Tumors
Depo-Provera is a progestin injection that works by suppressing ovulation thereby preventing pregnancy. Progestin is a synthetic version of progesterone which is a naturally occurring hormone in the body. A recent study conducted by researchers at the National Agency for Medicines and Health Products Safety in France linked progestogen medications to an increased risk of brain tumors. The study was published in the March 2024 issue of the British Medical Journal (BMJ).
Specifically, researchers identified a correlation between the prolonged use of specific progestogen-based drugs and a heightened risk of developing meningiomas. The study found that medroxyprogesterone acetate, a progestogen-based drug marketed under the brand name Depo-Provera® for contraception, increased the risk of meningioma by five times with long-term use. Fortunately, the same study highlighting the increased risk of meningioma amongst Depo-Provera users also showed that women taking commonly used birth control pills are not at increased risk of meningioma.
The study’s lead researcher, a general practitioner and epidemiologist with French National Health Insurance in Saint-Denis, warned that: “the number of attributable meningiomas may be potentially high in countries where the use of medroxyprogesterone acetate for birth control is common,” noting that around 74 million women globally rely on this medication.
Depo-Provera Lawsuits
The legal case is based on women not being warned that Depo-Provera birth control injections could increase their risk of developing a meningioma brain tumor. Women across the country have multiple methods of birth control available to them in many different forms. If you had known that the Depo-Provera contraceptive injection could lead to a brain tumor, you probably would have elected to choose a different contraceptive. Depo-Provera Lawsuits claim that Pfizer failed to adequately warn patients and healthcare providers about these risks despite decades of scientific evidence linking progestin-based drugs to meningiomas.
Many Depo-Provera injury claims involve women who have used Depo-Provera for years or even decades, receiving dozens of injections before developing meningioma brain tumors and debilitating symptoms. Plaintiffs report suffering from severe and life-altering symptoms, such as severe headaches, vision loss, memory problems, and other neurological impairments caused by meningiomas. Many have undergone highly invasive brain surgeries, radiation therapy, or other complex treatments, leaving them with permanent physical and emotional scars.
Pfizer has updated Depo-Provera’s label in Europe and Canada to include information about the increased risk for brain tumors, but no such warning exists in the United States. This raises concerns about why Pfizer did not update its drug label in the U.S.
In February 2025, the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) centralized the growing number of Depo-Provera lawsuits. These cases are now pending in federal court in the Northern District of Florida before Judge M. Casey Rodgers. Judge Rogers is presiding over the coordination of all discovery and pretrial proceedings. As of March 2025, more than 100 Depo-Provera lawsuits have been filed. This number is expected to grow to thousands.
Contact Us Today
If you or a loved one received at least 4 consecutive injections of Depo-Provera or Depo-subQ Provera 104 and were diagnosed with a meningioma brain tumor, you may be eligible to file a Depo-Provera lawsuit. You can discuss your case with us during a free consultation and receive the legal advice you need to make an informed decision about what to do next. Let us fight for you to hold the drug manufacturer accountable for your injuries and recover the compensation you deserve. Our firm is experienced in handling defective drug cases and we welcome any questions you may have. Call us now at (888) 213-0761 for a free consultation.