The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned that women who use the Depo-Provera birth control shot face an increased risk of developing a form of brain tumors known as meningioma.

Pfizer, the manufacturer of the Depo shot, is currently facing more than 1,400 lawsuits filed by women who used Depo-Provera and were diagnosed with meningioma brain tumors. 

If you or a loved one used Depo-Provera for birth control and were diagnosed with meningioma – or if you have developed symptoms that may be a sign of brain tumors – you may qualify to file a lawsuit and receive compensation. 

For more information about whether you are eligible to take legal action or to start the process of filing a Depo-Provera claim today, contact the lawyers at Hissey Mulderig & Friend by calling our law office toll-free at 1-866-806-8117, or send us a message using our free case evaluation form, located on the right side of this page. 

FDA Warning Links Depo-Provera to Meningioma Brain Tumors

In December 2025, the FDA approved a label change for two versions of the Depo-Provera shot (medroxyprogesterone acetate): Depo-Provera CI, for intramuscular injections, and Depo-SubQ Provera 104, for subcutaneous injection. 

The new Depo-Provera warning label states that women who use Depo-Provera for birth control may be at an increased risk of meningioma tumors, especially when they receive the shot for an extended period of time. 

The FDA’s Depo-Provera warning also states that women who use the birth control shot should be monitored for meningioma, or symptoms such as blurry vision, headaches, numbness, or seizures, which could be an indication of a brain tumor. 

Health regulators in other parts of the world have already warned about the link between Depo-Provera and meningioma. The European Medicines Agency listed meningioma brain tumors as a possible side effect of the Depo shot as early as 2024. The Public Health Agency of Canada added a warning label to Depo-Provera concerning meningioma tumors later that same year. South Africa’s drug regulators have also recommended updating the label for Depo-Provera to include a warning about the risk of meningioma brain tumors. 

Studies Link Depo Shot & Meningioma Tumors Risk

The FDA’s decision to issue a warning label Depo-Provera and meningioma follows the publication of several recent studies highlighting the link between the birth control shot and brain tumors. 

According to a study published in March 2025 by The BMJ, women who use the Depo-Provera shot are five-times more likely than non-users to be diagnosed with meningiomas. You can read more about the BMJ Depo-Provera study on our website.

A second study, published in September of last year by JAMA Neurology, found that Depo-Provera doubled the risk of developing meningioma brain tumors. The study found that women who started using the birth control shot after age 31 or who had been injected with the Depo shot for four years or more faced the highest risk of developing meningioma brain tumors. 

Hundreds of Lawsuits Filed Against Pfizer Over Depo-Provera & Meningioma

Pfizer is currently facing more than 1,400 lawsuits filed by women who developed meningioma brain tumors after using the Depo-Provera shot. 

These lawsuits have alleged that Pfizer knew about the potential link between Depo-Provera and meningioma as early as 1983, but failed to properly investigate this risk, placing millions of women at risk of developing serious brain tumors. 

In 2025, hundreds of federal Depo-Provera lawsuits against Pfizer were consolidated in a federal multidistrict litigation, or MDL, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida. An MDL is similar to a class action lawsuit, however unlike a class action, all of the lawsuits in an MDL remain separate.  

Combining all of the current Depo-Provera lawsuits in front of a single judge helps to expedite the evidence-gathering process for the litigation, making it easier for women who developed brain tumors after using the birth control shot to receive a settlement. 

Hissey Mulderig & Friend Represents Women in the Depo-Provera Litigation

Our law firm, Hissey Mulderig & Friend, is currently representing a number of women who used the Depo-Provera birth control shot and were later diagnosed with meningioma brain tumors. 

If you or a loved one used the Depo shot and were diagnosed with meningiomas – or if you have developed symptoms that may indicate a brain tumors – you may be eligible to file a lawsuit and receive compensation. 

In order to qualify to file a lawsuit, potential plaintiffs must meet all of the following criteria: 

1. Used the Depo-Provera birth control shot for at least one year (typically, this means at least four injections once every three months); 
2. Diagnosed with cerebral meningioma brain tumors; 
3. Used the brand name version of the Depo shot (as opposed to its generic version) before 2004. 

Women who meet all of the above criteria may be eligible to file a lawsuit against the manufacturers of the Depo-Provera shot. 

Contact Us & Start Your Claim Today

If you and your family would like to talk with a lawyer about whether you may be eligible to file a claim or to start the process of filing a lawsuit today, contact the law firm of Hissey Mulderig & Friend.  

Our attorneys have decades of combined legal experience representing women who were injured by serious side effects after using birth control shots, pills, patches, and IUDs. In addition to our legal team, Hissey Mulderig & Friend employs a team of female staff members, who are available to talk with you about your medical history in confidence. 

For more information about whether you may qualify to file a Depo-Provera lawsuit, or to start the process of filing your claim today, contact us by calling our office toll-free at 1-866-806-8117, or send us a message using the free case evaluation form, located at the top of this page.