A California woman recently filed a Depo-Provera lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California alleging that she suffered a brain tumor as a result of using the birth control medication.
A recent study published in the British Medical Journal in March 2024 connected medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), the synthetic hormone used in Depo-Provera, to an increased risk of meningioma, a type of brain tum
After Long-Term Use of Depo-Provera, Plaintiff Diagnosed with Brain Tumor
According to her complaint, the plaintiff started using Depo-Provera in the year 2000 when she was 20 years old. From 2000 to 2024, she regularly received Depo-Provera injections, which amounted to about 91 injections. Over time, the plaintiff says she started experiencing concerning symptoms like lightheadedness, headaches, vertigo, and blurred vision. In June 2020, at the age of 40, she underwent a CT scan that revealed a densely-calcified meningioma. This is a type of brain tumor that grows from the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord, called the “meninges.” Most meningiomas are benign and grow slowly, but they can affect nearby brain tissues, nerves, or vessels, and may cause serious disability. Because the Depo-Provera manufacturer had never warned that Depo-Provera may cause meningioma, the plaintiff was unaware that her tumor may have been caused by her birth control or that her birth control might make it worse. Therefore, she continued to use Depo-Provera for approximately four more years after this CT.
Tumor Grows and Becomes Calcified, Making It Difficult to Remove
On June 18, 2023, a follow-up CT scan noted that the meningioma had grown, and in October 2023, an MRI—performed due to the plaintiff’s continuing headaches and blurred vision—showed similar results.
In September 2024, the plaintiff returned for another follow-up because of her symptoms. Another MRI showed that the meningioma had grown more and was likely heavily calcified. Because of its location and its heavily-calcified state, surgeon were reluctant to try to remove the tumor because of the risks associated with highly invasive brain surgery. Thus, the plaintiff continues to suffer from her symptoms, including painful headaches.
Tumor Grows and Becomes Calcified, Making It Difficult to Remove
According to the study published in the British Medical Journal, long-term use of MPA (the hormone in Depo-Provera) (12 months or more) was associated with a 5.6-fold higher risk of meningioma. Researchers looked at data involving over 108,000 women, of which over 18,000 underwent brain surgery for meningioma between January 2009 and December 2018.The study was observational, meaning it did not prove Depo-Provera causes tumors. But it did raise significant concerns, particularly as some earlier studies had also linked prolonged use of the medication in Depo-Provera (MPA) with an increased risk of developing brain tumors. A more recent study has confirmed an association between MPA and brain tumors.
Pfizer Failed to Alert Doctors and Patients to the Potential Risk for Brain Tumors
The plaintiff notes in her Complaint that Pfizer knew or should have known for decades that long-term use of Depo-Provera can increase the risk of brain tumors. Yet the company failed to warn doctors and patients about the possible connection.
The plaintiff seeks compensatory and punitive damages and joins other women who have filed similar lawsuits.
Exclusively focused on representing plaintiffs—especially in mass tort litigation—Roopal Luhana prides herself on providing unsurpassed professional legal services in pursuit of the specific goals of her clients and their families. While she handles complex cases nationwide on behalf of consumers, Ms. Luhana resides with her family in Brooklyn, New York.
