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Depo-Provera lawsuits allege the birth control shot is linked to meningioma or brain tumor, spine tumors, osteoporosis and bone loss, and other adverse health issues. Depo-Provera meningioma lawsuits are similar to previous Depo bone loss lawsuits: all claiming that Pfizer failed to warn users about the risks of developing life-threatening side effects. Evidence indicates that Pfizer and other drug manufacturers knew, or should have known, about these risks for decades.
Read our Depo Provera FAQ
Depo-Provera was FDA-approved in 1992 as a hormonal birth control injection, but just three years later, the agency received reports of Depo-Provera adverse side effects. Despite adverse event reports and subsequent lawsuits, decades of advertisements promoted the quarterly injection as a safe and effective means of preventing pregnancy. Recently, the birth control injection has been linked to Depo-Provera Meningioma Side Effects and new research indicates that women taking Depo-Provera for more than one year face a fivefold increased risk of developing meningioma brain tumors. Since 2005, Depo Provera lawsuits have been filed alleging the Depo shot causes Depo Provera osteoporosis and other bone-loss issues. A Depo-Provera osteoporosis class action filed in Canada has been settled.
Depo Provera Birth Control
Depo-Provera contains a synthetic form of the hormone progesterone called medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA). Manufactured by Pfizer, Depo-Provera (medroxyprogesterone acetate suspension for injection) is administered by injection four times a year, rather than the more common daily oral birth control pill. Also known as ‘depo shot’, it has remained popular because of its higher pregnancy prevention rate and its convenience. It has been used by more than 70 million women in the U.S. According to Pfizer’s website, Depo injection is effective in ending pregnancies more than 99 percent of the time, and it is marketed as a “hassle and worry free” birth control method, saving women from daily pill popping.
Meningioma Brain Tumor
A meningioma is a type of benign tumor that can form near the brain or spinal cord. Meningioma tumors originate and grow from the meninges, the three layers of protective membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. These layers contain hormone receptors, including those for progesterone that are important for regulating cellular processes. Research suggests that MPA from Depo-Provera injection can bind to these progesterone receptors in the meninges, triggering signaling pathways that lead to abnormal cell growth. Increased proliferation of cells in the meninges may contribute to the development of meningiomas.
Although meningiomas grow slowly and most meningiomas are non-cancerous tumors, they can cause significant symptoms and complications depending on their size and location within the skull. For many women diagnosed with this condition after using Depo-Provera, their only option is brain surgery to have their tumors removed, which could increase their risk of additional complications.
Depo-Provera Meningioma Studies
A recent Depo-Provera study published by the esteemed British Journal of Medicine found that women who used the birth control shot were 5.76-times more likely to be diagnosed with meningioma. Researchers examined health records of more than 18,000 women in France who had brain surgery for meningioma between 2009 and 2018. Researchers looking for a connection between brain tumors and birth control by evaluating several synthetic progestogens found an elevated risk of brain tumors, especially among Depo-Provera patients, of which there are an estimated 74 million users worldwide. In response to this study, Pfizer acknowledged the potential risks associated with long-term use of progestogens and announced that it is working with regulatory agencies to update product labels and patient information leaflets to include warnings about these risks.
In 2023, a study published in the Journal of Neurological Surgery followed ten patients between 2014 and 2021 and treated at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. It found that discontinuation of MPA use (the progestin subtype found in Depo-Provera) had “clear evidence” of meningioma shrinkage, leading the researchers to conclude that there is a “clear progestin meningioma syndrome associated with chronic MPA use,” according to a lawsuit filed by Patricia Bonilla, below. The researchers noted that the association between chronic progestin use and meningioma patients has been studied in Europe, but the association had not been examined in the U.S., particularly regarding the progestin subtype MPA (Depo-Provera). Those ten patients were instructed to stop using MPA, and afterwards, five of the patients had “clear evidence” of meningioma shrinkage, leading the scientists to conclude that there is a “clear progestin meningioma syndrome associated with chronic DMPA use”.
Depo-Provera Meningioma Lawsuits Filed
The recent association with Depo-Provera and Meningioma has triggered a wave of lawsuits nationwide, so much so that attorneys say these cases underscore growing momentum toward a potential multidistrict litigation (MDL), with the Central District of California as a possible venue for consolidation.
The first Depo-Provera brain tumor lawsuit was filed in October 2024 in California federal court. Plaintiff Kristina Schmidt claims that Pfizer failed to “warn, instruct, advise, educate, or otherwise inform” that its Depo-Provera contraceptive and endometriosis medication can cause or “substantially contribute” to the development of intracranial meningioma. As well, Depo-Provera users and prescribers of the medication need to monitor resultant symptoms, stated court documents.
A Depo-Provera class action lawsuit was filed in January 2025 by Patricia Bonilla in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. She is seeking brain tumor medical monitoring for women residing in multiple states who received 50 mg Depo-Provera injections for at least a year, and have not yet been diagnosed with intracranial meningiomas. Bonilla does not claim that she has experienced a direct injury, but she now requires regular MRI exams and CT scans in the future, to monitor for the development of brain tumors throughout the rest of her life. (Coincidentally, this reporter found on Linkedin Patricia Perez-Bonilla, PhD. She has worked at Pfizer for three years as a Neuroscientist and Pharmacologist.)
A Missouri woman filed a federal lawsuit against Pfizer claiming that her 18-year use of Depo-Provera caused or significantly contributed to the development of an intracranial meningioma. In 2015, she underwent two brain surgeries to remove the tumor and later suffered complications, including a brain bleed, hearing loss, and vision loss. The lawsuit alleges the defendants failed to adequately warn about the drug’s risks.
A Nevada woman who used the birth control shot for over 20 years claims the drug caused multiple intracranial meningiomas. She underwent a craniotomy in December 2023 to remove a large tumor and followed up with radiation therapy. She continues to face additional surgeries and ongoing monitoring. Her lawsuit accuses Pfizer, Viatris, Greenstone, Prasco, and other defendants of failure to warn, negligence, and defective design regarding Depo-Provera and its authorized generics.
If you have received at least two Depo-Provera injections and have been diagnosed with the following side effects, you may want to seek legal help and file a Depo-Provera Meningioma lawsuit:
- Intracranial Meningioma
- Benign Brain Tumor
- Malignant Brain Tumor
- Spinal Cord Tumor
Depo-Provera Bone Loss and Osteoporisis
Depo-Provera contains a powerful variant of the hormone progestosterone, which has been shown to increase the loss of bone density in women of all ages, including teen and young adult women who are in critical stages of natural bone growth. Concerns that the drug causes massive and partially irreversible bone loss in young women have led to a number of lawsuits in the US and three lawsuits in Canada, including a class action suit in Toronto, which has been settled.
A study published in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine documents bone loss or osteoporosis in women while they were taking Depo-Provera. Other back-up studies claim that the bone loss may be reversible in younger women while some studies say the bone loss is permanent. Although osteoporosis and the loss of bone density typically affect women later in life, making them susceptible to fractures throughout the skeletal system, men of all ages and young women are also prone to osteoporosis.
Depo-Provera Contraceptive Injection may cause women of all ages to lose calcium stored in bones and the longer Depo-Provera is taken, the more calcium is likely to be lost. In 2004, the FDA issued a “black box” warning, stating that the prolonged use of MPA may result in significant loss of bone mineral density, which can increase the risk of fractures. The warning also states that the loss increases the longer MPA is used, and that the loss may not be completely reversible after discontinuing MPA.
Depo-Provera Timeline
1954: Depo-Provera’s active ingredient, medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), is synthesized by scientists at the Upjohn Company, now part of Pfizer.
1974: The FDA approves Depo-Provera as a contraceptive.
1978: The FDA bans Depo due to concerns it may cause cancer.
1990: Women’s health activists in New Zealand raise concerns about the potential loss of bone density in young women taking Depo Provera.
1991: Canadian Coalition on Depo-Provera, a coalition of women’s health professional and advocacy groups, opposes the approval of Depo in Canada.
1992: FDA approves Depo-Provera, which has already been used by over 30 million women since 1969.
1995: Several women’s health groups ask the FDA to put a moratorium on Depo-Provera, and to institute standardized informed consent forms.
2002: Pfizer promises results of post-marketing studies.
November 2004: Pfizer shows in post-marketing studies permanent bone mineral density (BMD) loss. (As a result of post-marketing studies, conducted separately with adults and with adolescents, it appears that Pfizer knew of clinical bone density test data regarding the use of Depo Provera Contraceptive Injection and its associated effect on bone mineral density (BMD) before issuing a black box warning.)
FDA issues an order whereby all Depo-Provera packaging and promotional materials must contain a “black box” warning which reads:
“Use of Depo-subQ Provera 104 or Depo Provera may cause you to lose calcium stored in your bones. The longer you use Depo Provera, the more calcium you are likely to lose. The calcium may not return completely once you stop using Depo Provera. Loss of calcium may cause weak bones that could increase the risk that your bones might break, especially after menopause. It is not known whether your risk of developing osteoporosis may be greater if you are a teenager when you start to use Depo Provera. You should only use Depo Provera long term (more than 2 years) if other methods of birth control are not right for you”.
December 2005: A $700-million class-action lawsuit is filed against Pfizer, the Depo-Provera maker, in Toronto. The Depo-Provera class action claims that long-term users of Depo Provera have been diagnosed with serious bone density problems including but not limited to osteoporosis, fractures, brittle teeth, spine injuries, and hip injuries. It also alleges that Pfizer failed to forewarn doctors and patients of the serious bone density risks associated with long-term use of the drug and had originally promoted the injection as a safe contraceptive method for long-term use.
Pfizer reports a net income of $2.732 billion. Depo Provera has now been used worldwide for almost 25 years and in the United States for 13 years.
2008: Canada filed a class action lawsuit was filed claiming Pfizer misrepresented the risk of bone mineral density loss associated with Depo-Provera use.
2016: Pfizer warns women that long-term Depo-Provera use may increase the risk of developing intracranial meningiomas.
2021: Depo-Provera Osteoporosis class action settles Canadian class action for $2,176,250.00.
2023: Compensation is distributed to eligible class members.
2023: Lawsuits are filed against Pfizer by women who developed brain tumors after using the birth control shot.
March, 2024: The British Medical Journal publishes a study linking long-term use of Depo-Provera to an increased risk of developing meningiomas.
Fall, 2024: Meningioma lawsuits are filed against Pfizer
Depo-Provera meningioma Legal Help
If you have suffered any Depo Provera side effects, you should contact your doctor and have them file an adverse reaction report with the FDA. Next, it is advisable that you seek legal help–sooner than later, and attorneys advise you not to contact Pfizer.
Meningiomas can put pressure on the nearby brain, nerves, and vessels, leading to symptoms such as headaches, weakness in arms or legs, vision problems, seizures, memory loss, and/or personality changes. If you have used the Depo shot and have experienced any of these side effects, health professionals advise that you speak with your doctor to find out if your symptoms may be related to using Depo-Provera. Health experts also say that women who received repeated Depo-Provera shots may need regular MRI and CT scans to watch for the development of brain tumors. And you may want to seek legal help.
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