Currently, many law firms and injured individuals are bringing lawsuits against drug manufacturer Pfizer following reports that using the birth control injection Depo-Provera may be related to a heightened risk for brain tumors. One specific study links Depo-Provera to brain tumors and has led to increased investigation into a possible correlation between the drug and intracranial meningiomas – a type of tumor.
Depo-Provera is a popular brand name for medroxyprogesterone acetate, “a contraceptive injection that contains the hormone progestin,” the Mayo Clinic reported.
“Depo-Provera typically suppresses ovulation, keeping your ovaries from releasing an egg. It also thickens cervical mucus to keep sperm from reaching the egg,” the medical center’s website noted. It is given as an injection every three months and, according to the Cleveland Clinic, it is 96 percent effective in preventing pregnancy.
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, “Meningioma is the most common type of primary brain tumor, accounting for approximately 30 percent of all brain tumors.”
Meningiomas develop in the meninges – the outer three layers of tissue between the skull and the brain that cover and protect the brain under the skull. They tend to grow very slowly and may not be detected for years.
It’s important to note that meningiomas are about three times more common in women than in men. Knowing that, it’s concerning that a popular birth control method used by many women could also allegedly increase the risk of developing this type of brain tumor.
A potential link between the use of Depo-Provera and the development of meningioma brain tumors was discovered via a study with findings published in the British Medical Journal in March 2024. Ultimately, the study found that the risk of developing an intracranial meningioma may increase 5.6-fold if the medication is used for longer than a year.
The study included 108,366 women, with 18,061 women who had undergone surgery for meningioma. Specifically, long-term use of progestogens such as medrogestone, medroxyprogesterone acetate, and promegestone was linked to an increased risk of developing meningiomas, but an increased risk associated with other hormonal treatments like progesterone, dydrogesterone, and some types of hormonal intrauterine devices (IUDs) was not discovered.
“In countries for which the use of medroxyprogesterone acetate for birth control is frequent [74 million users worldwide], the number of attributable meningiomas may be potentially high,” the study’s research team, led by a general practitioner and epidemiologist with French National Health Insurance in Saint-Denis, France, concluded.
If you or a loved one took Depo-Provera for an extended period of time and developed brain tumors, you should get legal advice without delay and determine whether or not you may be eligible for a Depo-Provera lawsuit. People who specifically developed intracranial meningiomas could potentially pursue legal action, but it’s better to act sooner rather than later.
Please contact our offices to discuss your unique circumstances with a member of our team. Phillips Law Group has a record for success in the area of defective and dangerous drug cases and we want to help you.
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