What You Need to Know About the Depo-Provera Lawsuits Being Filed Against Pfizer

Depo-Provera users are likely on high alert after learning about the published research suggesting the Pfizer product is associated with an increased risk of brain tumors.

The study, which was conducted to determine if there was a connection between the tumors some users were experiencing on the hormone-based birth control, was published in March 2024, prompting a string of lawsuits in its wake. Learn more about the Depo-Provera lawsuits below.

As always, article is not meant as a substitute for medical advice and you should reach out to your doctor if you have any questions about your risks of meningioma after using Depo-Provera.

According to Forbes ADVISOR, multiple people have filed product liability lawsuits against Pfizer, the manufacturer of the birth control shot.

The Legal Information Institute defines a product liability lawsuit as a type of legal process that can be used to hold multiple different people or companies liable when something goes wrong.

This would include everyone and anyone who had a hand in creating the product — in this case, the injectable birth control — from the manufacturer down to the seller.

Forbes ADVISOR notes that this could spell disaster for Pfizer since judges don't require proof of negligence in these types of cases, which gives the plaintiffs a bigger advantage.

A study published in the British Medical Journal (BMG) seems to tie one of the ingredients in the shots (medroxyprogesterone acetate) to an increased risk of meningiomas. Meningiomas, while typically benign, come with all sorts of additional complications and side effects and sometimes require brain surgery.

Penn Medicine says that some symptoms of meningiomas include but are not limited to:

• Loss of memory and smell
• Double vision or changes in vision
• Headaches
• Ringing in ears
• Seizures

While the cause of meningiomas is unknown, experts say that it happens when something makes the meningeal cells multiply excessively, creating the tumor the aptly named tumor. 

Plaintiffs are filing suits against the drug's manufacturer over claims that Pfizer either withheld information about the increased risk of brain tumors or else they completely failed to complete all of the long-term testing and research they should've done before putting the drug on shelves. 

According to King Law, one of the legal teams involved in a lawsuit against Pfizer, plaintiffs are seeking financial compensation to cover things like:

• Medical expenses
• Lost income
• Physical and emotional pain
• Lost quality of life
• Legal fees

King Law also says that even those who haven't taken the shot themselves may be entitled to file a wrongful death lawsuit if someone they love has died as a result of a meningioma caused by the medication.

Forbes ADVISOR says anyone with questions about their well-being after prolonged use of Depo-Provera should reach out to their doctor as soon as possible, especially if they're experiencing symptoms.

That said, even if you're a long-term Depo user, you shouldn't panic just yet. Penn Medicine notes that many meningioma patients are asymptomatic, and those who are experiencing symptoms have a few different treatment options available, not all of which require surgery.