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If you have received a Depo-Provera injection, you should pay attention to the Depo-Provera lawsuits and their updates.
In recent years, the Depo-Provera injections have been linked to serious health issues. Many women are now asking, “Is there a lawsuit against Depo Provera?” and “How to know I’m eligible to file a Depo birth control lawsuit?”
This blog will help you through everything you need to know about the Depo-Provera lawsuit, from the risks involved to how you can seek justice if you’ve been impacted.
What is Depo-Provera?
Depo-Provera is used as a birth control injection that contains medroxyprogesterone acetate, a synthetic version of the hormone progesterone. It works by preventing ovulation by blocking eggs released during ovulation, thickening cervical mucus, and thinning the uterus lining. It is typically administered once every three months.
Depo-Provera is a birth control shot that is 96% effective, meaning about 4 out of every 100 women using it may still get pregnant each year. It was approved by the FDA in 1992 for contraception. Between 2006 and 2010, Depo-Provera was one of the most popular birth control methods, used by 23% of women.
What Are the Side Effects of Depo-Provera?
Depo-Provera has been linked with minor to severe side effects. Some common Depo-Provera side effects include irregular bleeding, weight gain, and mood changes.
Depo-Provera has been associated with some serious side effects, including blood clots, allergies, vision problems, and depression.
Some of the long term side effects of Depo-Provera, including
- Loss of bone density
- Delayed fertility
- Meningioma (Brain Tumor)
While many women use Depo-Provera without issues, reports of severe side effects have raised concerns. If you experience any serious symptoms while using Depo-Provera, it’s crucial to consult with your doctor immediately.
The Link between Depo-Provera and Brain Tumors
Multiple studies have indicated the connection between long-term use of Depo-Provera and the increased risk of developing meningioma.
A 2024 French study published in the British Medical Journal looked at the link between certain hormones, including Depo-Provera (medroxyprogesterone acetate), and the risk of developing brain tumors called meningiomas. Researchers studied 18,061 women who had surgery for meningiomas and compared them to over 90,000 women without the condition.
They found out that women who used the Depo-Provera for a long time had a higher chance of developing these brain tumors. Specifically, women who had used Depo-Provera showed a 5.55 times higher risk of meningiomas compared to those who didn’t use it. Other hormones, like medrogestone and promegestone, were also linked to a higher risk of these tumors when used for a long period.
What is Meningioma?
Meningioma is a type of brain tumor that grows in the layers of tissue covering the brain and spinal cord, called the meninges. These tumors are usually slow-growing and are often non-cancerous, but they can still cause problems if they press on the brain or spinal cord.
Symptoms depend on where the tumor is and how big it gets, but common ones include headaches, vision problems, hearing loss, memory issues, or seizures.
Why are People Filing Depo-Provera Lawsuits?
The main concern leading to lawsuits is the alleged link between Depo-Provera and serious health risks, particularly brain tumors. Depo-Provera brain tumor lawsuits claim that the manufacturer, Pfizer, failed to adequately warn about these risks.
Many women who used Depo-Provera are now coming forward with claims related to serious health issues.
Depo-Provera Lawsuit 2025 Updates
January 2025
On January 17, 2025, Patricia Bonilla, a California woman, has filed a Depo-Provera class action lawsuit over concerns that the birth control shot increases the risk of developing brain tumors. Bonilla received at least 20 Depo-Provera injections between 2012 and November 2023. Although she hasn’t been diagnosed with a tumor, she fears developing one in the future.
Her Depo-Provera lawsuit seeks to create a nationwide class action for medical monitoring, covering women from 15 states and Washington, D.C. Bonilla emphasizes that these tests, which include costly MRI and CT scans, are not part of routine medical care and could lead to thousands of dollars in medical bills.
In addition to the class action, numerous individual lawsuits have been filed by women who have developed brain tumors after using Depo-Provera. In November 2024, a motion was submitted to consolidate these cases into a multidistrict litigation (MDL) for coordinated pretrial proceedings. The U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) will hear oral arguments on January 30, 2025, in Miami, Florida. Pfizer and other manufacturers have agreed to the MDL, though the venue is still being debated.
Depo Provera Lawsuit 2024 Updates
December 2024
On December 12, 2024, Kathryn Paulsen, an Indiana woman, has filed a lawsuit against Pfizer, Inc. and Pharmacia & Upjohn Company LLC, claiming that the birth control injection Depo-Provera caused her to develop a brain tumor and a spinal cyst. The lawsuit alleges that the drug makers were aware of these risks for years but failed to warn users or doctors.
The Depo-Provera shot lawsuit accuses the manufacturers of negligence, failure to warn, and other legal violations. The Paulsens are seeking compensatory and punitive damages, claiming that proper warnings could have helped avoid these health problems.
A motion to consolidate these lawsuits into a single MDL (multidistrict litigation) was filed in November, suggesting the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California as the central location. Another motion filed on December 10 supported centralization but recommended the Central District of California instead.
The JPML has asked for any opposition to the MDL to be submitted by December 23, 2024, with plaintiffs allowed to respond by December 30, 2024. Oral arguments will take place on January 30, 2025, at the Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. U.S. Courthouse in Miami, Florida.
Pfizer and plaintiffs agree that lawsuits over Depo-Provera should be consolidated into a multidistrict litigation (MDL) for efficiency, but they disagree on the location. The U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) will decide on the MDL’s location.
At least 22 lawsuits have been filed across eight federal courts, with six cases in the Northern District of California. Plaintiffs proposed this district for centralizing the cases, citing its convenience and the potential for many more similar lawsuits.
Pfizer, while supporting the creation of an MDL, suggests the Southern District of New York as the venue, given its headquarters there and the expected complexity of the litigation. The company maintains the safety of Depo-Provera and plans a vigorous defense.
November 2024
On November 15, 2024, in the Superior Court of California, Madison Le, has filed a Pfizer Depo Provera lawsuit claiming the drug caused her to develop brain tumors.
Le began using Depo-Provera in 1996, at age 20, and received around 40 injections over nine years until 2005. In 2010, she was diagnosed with a golf ball-sized meningioma. She underwent surgery to remove it, but the tumor returned in 2021, causing her to miss about 12 weeks of work.
Le argues that the manufacturers knew Depo-Provera increased the risk of meningiomas but hid this information and promoted the drug aggressively. Her lawsuit highlights a 2024 French study that found women using Depo-Provera were 5 to 6 times more likely to develop these tumors. She claims she only learned of the connection after this study was widely publicized.
The lawsuit includes claims of negligence, failure to warn, design defects, fraud, misrepresentation, breach of warranty, and violations of consumer protection laws.
In November 8, 2024, a California woman, Latosha White, has filed a Depo-Provera lawsuit claiming that the injection caused her to develop an intracranial meningioma. White’s lawsuit alleges that the manufacturers, including Pfizer and other companies, failed to warn users and doctors in the U.S. about this risk, even though similar warnings have been required in Canada since 2015 and in the EU and UK.
The lawsuit accuses the drug manufacturers of negligence, failure to warn, and other legal violations. White claims she could have avoided her condition if she had been properly informed about the risks.
On November 26, a group of nearly 12 plaintiffs filed a motion with the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML). They want the lawsuits consolidated in the Northern District of California. The motion highlights that at least 22 lawsuits, filed in eight federal courts, involve similar claims. Six of these cases are already in the Northern District of California.
The plaintiffs argue that combining the cases into a multidistrict litigation (MDL) will save time and resources by avoiding duplicate investigations and conflicting court rulings. Most women who filed lawsuits had brain surgeries and now suffer from long-term issues like seizures, vision loss, and other neurological problems.
If the JPML approves the MDL, all current and future lawsuits about Depo-Provera will be managed by one judge for pretrial matters, including discovery and test trials.
October 2024
On October 18, 2024, Ajanna Lawson, a California woman, has filed a Depo-Provera lawsuit, claiming the birth control shots caused her to develop intracranial meningiomas. She started receiving these shots in 2001 when she was just 16 years old and continued for over two decades, totaling around 95 injections.
In July 2023, Lawson had an MRI that revealed a large meningioma in her brain, leading to surgery. An MRI in 2024 showed that some of the tumor remained, requiring her to undergo more treatments. The Depo Provera lawsuit states that if the companies had properly investigated these risks, they would have discovered the dangers associated with the medication much earlier.
Lawson’s complaint emphasizes that stronger warnings about the risk of brain tumors are included on the drug labels in Canada, yet U.S. consumers have not been given the same information.
Kathleen Fazio, a California woman, filed a Depo-Provera lawsuit on October 28 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, alleging that companies involved in the Depo-Provera injection didn’t warn users that it could increase the risk of meningioma.
Fazio began using Depo shots in 1999 and continued for 19 years. She developed symptoms, including memory problems, confusion, and headaches. In December 2017, doctors diagnosed her with a brain tumor, leading to a surgery called bifrontal craniotomy to remove it. After the surgery, she experienced issues like blurred vision and blood flow problems in her brain.
Today, she requires a wheeled walker, seizure medication, and annual MRIs to monitor her brain. Her Depo-Provera birth control shot lawsuit includes claims for failure to warn, negligence, and other liabilities against the drug manufacturers.
Depo-Provera Lawsuit Updates
A recent Depo Provera long term side effects lawsuit raises concerns about Pfizer’s failure to warn U.S. consumers about the risk of meningioma brain tumors. Earlier this year, a BMJ study found that women who use Depo-Provera for over a year have a higher risk of developing meningiomas. Despite this, Pfizer has updated its warning labels in Europe and the UK, but not in the U.S.
The Depo shot lawsuit, filed by Kristina Schmidt, claims that Pfizer could have used a process called “Changes Being Effected” (CBE) to update U.S. labels without waiting for FDA approval. This would allow Pfizer to inform U.S. consumers about the risks sooner. While Pfizer has issued new warnings in Europe, U.S. users of Depo-Provera still aren’t informed of these risks.
As of now, Depo Provera shot lawsuits are still in the early stages. Due to this, lawyers in the U.S. are now investigating claims from women who developed meningiomas after using Depo-Provera to explore possible lawsuits or Depo-Provera settlements.
How to Know if You Qualify for a Depo-Provera Lawsuit?
If you received Depo-Provera injections for a prolonged period and were diagnosed with meningioma or other Depo-Provera lawsuit side effects, you may qualify for a lawsuit. Collect your medical records, prescription history, and any documentation regarding your symptoms. Seek legal advice to file a valid Depo-Provera lawsuit.
If you decide to pursue a lawsuit, you may be entitled to various forms of Depo-Provera lawsuit settlements, including medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Plaintiffs receive Depo Provera lawsuit settlements based on the severity of their injuries, with higher payouts expected for those suffering from serious conditions like meningiomas.
To wrap up,
Being informed about the lawsuit against Depo shot is important if you have been affected. Staying updated on new developments in Depo-Provera lawsuits is crucial, as many lawyers are currently investigating these cases. If you’re using Depo-Provera for birth control, it may be worth considering other contraceptive options.