When a company produces a drug that has unsuspected side effects, patients injured by the drug can bring lawsuits. Typically, the lawsuits allege that the manufacturer was negligent, the product was defective in its design or manufacture, and warnings were inadequate.
Recently, evidence has emerged that women who received Depo-Provera injections have a heightened risk of developing meningioma, a specific type of brain tumor. Phillips Law Group and other firms across the country are filing lawsuits seeking compensation for patients who used Depo-Provera and later developed one of these tumors. The timeline of Depo-Provera litigation is moving forward, so it is important to get in touch soon if you might be affected.
Study Raises Awareness
Depo-Provera is a synthetic hormone injection used for birth control and treating endometriosis. When used for contraception, the patient receives a shot every 12 weeks.
Researchers published a study in March 2024 linking the use of Depo-Provera to the development of brain tumors. The study reviewed the records of 18,000 women who had been diagnosed with meningioma. It found that women who had used Depo-Provera for more than one year were five times more likely to develop this type of tumor than other women.
Other, smaller studies had noted a connection, but Pfizer never changed its warning label to disclose the risk. Our attorneys are representing women who have used the drug and then developed meningiomas. Our attorneys are pursuing litigation against Depo-Provera manufacturers for financial compensation due to failure to warn, and other legal claims.
Lawsuits Are Filed
Once the 2024 study was published, patients who used Depo-Provera and later developed meningiomas or other forms of brain tumors began filing lawsuits against the drugs’s manufacturer, Pfizer, and other companies that produced versions of the drug. By February, 2025, more than 75 federal lawsuits had been filed in 17 states.
When many injured people file lawsuits claiming the same product injured them in similar ways, courts often consolidate them for the sake of efficiency. These consolidated cases are often referred to as Multi-District Litigation (MDL) or mass torts.
Mass torts have many benefits for injured patients. Because the cases are consolidated, the plaintiffs can share information and litigation costs. When liability is established, each plaintiff has the opportunity to present their individual claim for damages.
How the Lawsuits May Proceed
As of February, 2025, there has been no decision on whether to consolidate Depo-Provera cases into an MDL, but it seems likely. Our attorneys are actively preparing cases for patients who received at least two Depo-Provera injections and later developed meningiomas or another form of brain tumor.
If the cases go forward as a mass tort, only a few bellwether cases will go to trial. If the manufacturers are found liable, they typically offer a settlement to resolve the remaining cases. If the cases are heard as a mass tort action, the bellwether trials might begin in 2026.
Timeline for Individual Cases
If the cases must proceed individually, the timeline is difficult to predict. After filing the lawsuit and receiving the defendant’s answer, the parties must engage in discovery. The discovery phase involves the exchange of information supporting each side’s case.
Discovery in complex cases can often take a year or more, and then the parties must wait for the trial court to schedule a trial. However, negotiations continue during this period, and these often result in a settlement at some point before the trial.
Contact Phillips Law Group About the Depo-Provera Lawsuits
The March 2024 study results produced a flurry of lawsuits and a mass tort action seems likely. The timeline of Depo-Provera litigation going forward is uncertain at this early stage.
People who may be eligible to bring a Depo-Provera lawsuit should speak with an attorney at Phillips Law Group immediately. Set up a consultation today.
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