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If you were diagnosed with a brain tumor (meningioma) after taking Depo-Provera shots, contact us.
Depo-Provera Lawsuit
Why Are We Talking About Depo-Provera Now?
Another grievous case where Big Pharma is trying to have its cake and eat it too, at your expense: The British Medical Journal (BMJ) in March 2024 published a groundbreaking study revealing that if used longer than one year, women who use Depo-Provera as their primary method of birth control are at a whopping 5.6% greater risk of developing outsized brain tumors called meningiomas.1
The good news is that these common growths are usually benign. The bad news is that when they grow large enough to put pressure on brain tissue, nerves, and/or the spinal cord, they can trigger side effects that suddenly become disruptive like personality changes or double vision, potentially doing permanent neurological damage if left untreated.2 A Depo-Provera lawsuit has been filed to protect survivors, and to hold Pfizer responsible for disregard magnified by failure to warn.
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What Is Depo-Provera?
Nicknamed the birth control shot (or depo shot) in the early 1990s, Depo-Provera is a synthetic hormone contraceptive in a syringe, typically administered deep into the buttocks or arm muscle every three months. It enjoyed meteoric success after the FDA approved it in 1992 (it was used before that to treat endometriosis) because it cut out the hassle and insecurity of remembering to take a pill every day and it worked for 12 weeks per shot.
The FDA’s approval in 1992 was considered premature by critics, granted only on the condition that Pfizer conduct an immediate post-approval study on the risks of osteoporosis (loss of bone density). In 2004, 12 years later, the FDA demanded Pfizer include its strongest “black box warning” on the label for increased risk of osteoporosis.3
No level of warning of increased risk for meningiomas, however, alerted Depo users to the possibility of serious neurological side effects from brain tumors big enough to make you dizzy.
And today, there still is no warning on Depo-Provera’s label of an almost 6 times greater risk for developing brain tumors after using the drug for one year. If you think you’re the only one who feels duped, it’s more, like, join most of the other women on the planet. Globally today, 74 million women who use it are vulnerable too.
Wait, What Even Are Meningioma Tumors?
Mayo Clinic calls them “silent tumors” because they develop slow-motion from the layers of protective blood vessels around and under the brain and spinal cord, making diagnosis nearly impossible until the growths become large enough to press against brain tissue and cause serious problems. They can grow bigger than half the size of your forehead.4
Women of any age are susceptible, though females 55+ may be affected more because of the gradual latency period. Women in general, though, are more prone to developing them than men. And men don’t use birth control, as we know.
Here’s the overview:
- Meningiomas are the most common kind of brain tumor; they are not rare, contrary to popular belief.
- They can grow to the size of half your frontal lobe (forehead) and larger.
- They grow from the vessels protecting the brain and spinal cord.
- They grow slowly until their size pressures the brain enough to cause sudden serious symptoms.
- Older women (55+) may be most affected because of the latency period, but not necessarily.
- Women (38%) are more prone to developing them than men (20%).
- Neurological side effects may be permanent if left untreated.
- Diagnosis is often made accidentally when scanning for other concerns.
Here are some of the dangerous side effects, according to Mayo:
- Changes in vision, such as seeing double or blurring.
- Headaches that are worse in the morning.
- Hearing loss or ringing in the ears.
- Memory loss.
- Loss of smell.
- Seizures.
- Weakness in the arms or legs.
- Trouble speaking.
You should visit your doctor if you have a sudden onset of seizures or sudden changes in vision or memory.
Why Are Depo-Provera Lawsuits Being Filed?
The first round of Depo-Provera brain tumor lawsuits blame Pfizer for not warning consumers on the label about the increased risk for developing tumors on the brain called meningiomas. Centrally, they allege that the company knew, or should have known, about the heightened risk for meningiomas triggered by exposure to the synthetic hormone progestin (progesterone).
The new Depo-Provera lawsuit (not the previous one about loss of bone density) is civil, meaning the charges aim to hold Pfizer financially responsible, where it hurts most, for its alleged neglect.
Can I File a Depo-Provera Brain Tumor Lawsuit?
Yes. If you have been diagnosed with a meningioma brain tumor after using Depo-Provera for at least one year, or Depo-SubQ Provera 104 (lower dose), you may be able to file a lawsuit against Pfizer and we want to talk to you.
Our #1 priority since we were founded in 2016 has been to educate women about possible dangers before they derail your life. However, if you’ve already been hurt, we want to help you pursue financial recovery and healing with help from the civil legal system.
Can A Case for Women Help With My Depo-Provera Lawsuit?
Yes! ACFW has successfully supported other birth control lawsuits and we encourage you to contact us if you were hurt by Depo-Provera so we can help you take civil legal action. Among our previous successful casework in this field:
- Essure (Bayer) permanent contraceptive device. The litigation surrounding Essure prompted Bayer to remove it from the market and facilitate a $1.6 billion settlement for survivors who filed charges.
- Paragard copper IUD. We have worked with thousands of women who have been hurt by Paragard IUD and cases have been moving through the legal system.
Help us spread the word to protect other women from suffering what you did, and in the process reclaim your financial, emotional, and spiritual power. Because we get it, we get you, 24/7/365, night or day.
Sources
- Emily Harris, “Use of Progestogen Tied to Higher Chance of Benign Brain Tumor, JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association), April 19, 2024.
- ibid.
- Unlisted, “FDA gives final approval to Depo amid concerns over safety, cost and coercion,” PubMed (National Institutes of Health), November 1992.
- Unlisted, “Meningioma,” Mayo Clinic, March 29, 2024.
WE WEAR THIS BADGE PROUDLY. Because, in a time when legal services are still dominated by men, only a Women Owned Business can bring the woman’s perspective to issues that disproportionately affect women.
We are the ones, far more than men, who are injured by sexual assault, financial scams, the gender pay gap, toxic chemicals, and the misguided practices of powerful pharmaceutical companies.
