FAQ
Depo-Provera Meningioma Lawsuit
Depo-Provera is a commonly used contraceptive medication given by injection once every three months. It may be used by nearly 25% of women at some point during their lives, many of whom will use the medication for longer than one year.
Recent findings suggest a potential link between prolonged use of Depo-Provera and an increased risk of developing meningiomas—a type of tumor that forms in the protective membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
What is Depo-Provera?
Depo-Provera is an injectable medication containing medroxyprogesterone acetate, a synthetic form of the human hormone, progesterone. It is given by injection into the arm or buttocks every three months as a birth control method. Once injected, the medication slowly releases over about 12 weeks.
Depo-Provera works to prevent pregnancy by inhibiting ovulation, thickening cervical mucus which blocks sperm transport, and thinning of the uterine lining needed for fertilized egg implantation. It may also be used to treat hormone-related conditions such as endometriosis and ovarian cysts.
Depo-Provera has been linked to up to 5.6 times increased risk of intracranial meningioma tumor in people who have used the medication for longer than one year.
What is Meningioma?
Meningioma is a tumor which grows from membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, known as meninges. It is the most common type of central nervous system tumor and accounts for about 40% of all CNS tumors.
Meningioma is usually non-malignant and not cancerous but may press on the brain, nerves or vessels.
Symptoms of meningioma may include:
- Blurred vision
- Double vision
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Seizures
- Headache
- Numbness
- Memory problems
- Light sensitivity
- Hearing loss
While initially mild, symptoms of meningioma may worsen over time and result in disability or become life-threatening.
Treatment of meningioma commonly requires surgery to remove the tumor. Surgical removal of a tumor located near the brain or central nervous system may place the patient at additional risk due to the possibility of nerve or brain tissue damage.
Previous Black Box Warning for Depo-Provera
In 2004, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration began requiring that labeling for Depo-Provera include a Black Box Warning for osteoporosis risk. A black box or boxed statement warning is the most severe type of warning the FDA can issue.
Depo-Provera’s black box warning states that the medication may contribute to significant bone mineral density. The bone loss may be greater with increasing duration of use and may not be reversible, particularly when the medication is used during adolescence or early adult hood. The warning advises that Depo-Provera should not be used for longer than two years unless other birth control methods are inadequate.
Because of the risk of serious osteoporosis, Pfizer faced a number of lawsuits in both the U.S. and Canada. These lawsuits have since been settled.
Research Study Confirming Meningioma Risk of Depo-Provera
Results of a research study published in The BMJ, a British Medical Journal, showed an increased risk of intracranial meningioma in women who used Depo-Provera. The study examined 18,061 women who were diagnosed with and underwent surgery to remove intracranial meningioma.
Women who had received Depo-Provera injections for longer than one year had an increased risk that was 5.6 times more than women who did not use the medication. Other types of birth control did not have the same risk.
If you have been diagnosed with a Meningioma Tumor following at least one year of using Depo-Provera, you may be eligible for compensation.