In March 2024, a major new scientific study was released, which found a clear link between the use of Depo-Provera and the development of a specific type of brain tumor called a meningioma.
The new study was published in the renowned British Medical Journal.
This groundbreaking research examined data from over 100,000 women in France, making it one of the largest studies demonstrating how Depo Provera caused serious health issues.
The findings were striking: According to a March 2024 study in the BMJ, women who use Depo shots for at least a year are 5 times more likely to develop meningioma brain tumors.
This represents a 5.6-fold increased risk compared to women who did not use the contraceptive, highlighting serious health risks associated with this medication.
What makes these findings particularly concerning is that evidence of this risk has existed for decades.
Indeed, it’s been alleged that an association between progesterone and meningiomas has been known since at least 1983, nearly a decade before healthcare providers began prescribing Depo Provera for contraception.
Despite this knowledge, manufacturers failed to adequately warn patients about these potential risks in the United States.
Current Status of Depo Provera Multidistrict Litigation
The revelation of these risks has sparked a wave of legal action against Pfizer and other manufacturers.
The first Depo Provera lawsuits filed occurred in October 2024 by a California woman who was diagnosed with a meningioma when she was 37 years old.
Since then, the litigation has grown rapidly.
The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) consolidated more than 290 cases into Depo Provera multidistrict litigation in the Northern District of Florida under Judge Casey Rodgers as of May 2025.
This consolidation, known as MDL No. 3140, streamlines the pretrial process, enabling more efficient handling of these cases.
Key developments in the litigation include:
- Multiple pharmaceutical companies named as defendants, including Pfizer, Pharmacia & Upjohn, Greenstone LLC, Viatris, and Prasco Laboratories
- Allegations that manufacturers knew or should have known about the brain tumor risks for decades
- Claims that companies failed to update warning labels despite evidence of danger
- Lawsuits seeking compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages
Since its formation, the Depo-Provera MDL has continued to grow.
As of April 2025, over 130 cases have been filed in the MDL, and legal experts anticipate that number will increase as more women become aware of Depo Provera side effects.
With millions of women having used this contraceptive over the past three decades, the potential scope of this litigation could be substantial.