Why It Matters

Many women who developed a meningioma brain tumor after using a generic birth control shot assume they cannot take legal action because they did not use brand-name Depo-Provera. That assumption is often wrong. The generic version of the Depo shot contains the same active ingredient and carries the same risks. Women who used the generic shot may still qualify to file a lawsuit. 

Key Points

• Generic Depo-Provera injections contain medroxyprogesterone acetate, the same active ingredient as the brand-name shot, so the medical concerns apply to both. 
• Medical research has linked long-term use of the injectable shot to a higher risk of meningioma, a tumor that grows in the tissue surrounding the brain and spinal cord. 
• Women who used a generic medroxyprogesterone acetate injection and were later diagnosed with a meningioma may qualify to file a claim, and filing deadlines make acting early important. 

Generic Depo-Provera Users May Still Have a Case

If you used a generic version of the Depo-Provera birth control shot and were later diagnosed with a meningioma brain tumor, you may still qualify to file a lawsuit and pursue compensation. 

Women often do not even know which version of the shot they received. A pharmacy or clinic may have provided a generic without ever pointing out the difference. That uncertainty should not stop you from ensuring that your legal rights are protected. 

If you or a loved one used generic Depo-Provera and were diagnosed with meningioma brain tumors, contact Hissey, Mulderig & Friend to find out if you qualify by calling  1-866-806-8117, or send us a message using the free Depo-Provera contact form located on this page. 

What Is the Generic Version of the Depo-Provera Shot?

Depo-Provera is the brand name for an injectable contraceptive made by Pfizer. Its active ingredient is medroxyprogesterone acetate, often shortened to MPA. MPA is a synthetic form of the hormone progestin. The shot is given by injection, usually once every three months, to prevent pregnancy. 

Generic versions contain the same active ingredient at the same dose, and they work the same way in the body. Because the medicine is identical, the same safety questions apply. This is why women who used generic medroxyprogesterone acetate injections are part of the conversation about this litigation.  

If you used any injectable form of medroxyprogesterone acetate, brand-name or generic, you may be at risk, but you still have rights. 

What Is a Meningioma Brain Tumor?

Lawsuits filed against the makers of Depo-Provera have alleged that women who use the birth control shot may face an increased risk of developing a type of brain tumor known as meningioma. 

A meningioma is a tumor that forms in the meninges, the thin layers of tissue that cover the brain and spinal cord. According to the American Cancer Society, most meningiomas are benign, which means they are not cancerous.  

Even so, a meningioma can cause real harm because of where it grows. Pressure on the brain can lead to headaches, vision problems, hearing loss, seizures, and memory difficulties.  

Many women need brain surgery to remove the tumor, and some are left with lasting effects. A diagnosis like this can change a woman’s health, her work, and her daily life. 

What Does the Medical Evidence Show?

A large study published in 2024 in the BMJ, a peer-reviewed medical journal, examined the link between progestin drugs and brain tumors. Researchers found that women who used injectable medroxyprogesterone acetate for a year or longer were about 5.6 times more likely to develop a meningioma that required surgery. The study found no increased risk for use of less than one year, which points to prolonged use as the key factor. 

The prescribing information reviewed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration now notes that meningiomas have been reported with use of Depo-Provera or generic shots containing medroxyprogesterone acetate. The warning label notes that these risks occur primarily with long-term use of the Depo shot, and advises monitoring for patients who used the drug in order to check for brain tumors.  

Because generic birth control shots share the same active ingredient as Depo-Provera, the same medical concerns apply to women who used generics. You can read more about what the medical research shows about the Depo shot and meningioma and why the length of use matters so much. 

Where Does the Depo-Provera Litigation Stand?

Women across the country have filed lawsuits alleging that the makers of Depo-Provera failed to warn them that long-term use could raise the risk of a meningioma.  

These federal cases have been combined into a multidistrict litigation, or MDL, a process that groups similar lawsuits before one judge to handle shared pretrial steps. The Depo-Provera MDL is centralized in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida. 

As of mid-2026, more than 5,500 lawsuits were pending in the federal MDL, and the number continues to grow. The litigation involves both the brand-name shot and generic medroxyprogesterone acetate injections.  

If you want a plain-language explanation of how the Depo-Provera MDL works, our overview walks through the basics and what they mean for women considering a claim. 

Do Generic Users Qualify to File a Claim?

Yes. Using a generic version of the shot does not automatically disqualify you. The central question is whether you used a medroxyprogesterone acetate injection and later received a meningioma diagnosis.  

There are three questions that determine whether you may be eligible to file a claim: 

1. Did you use either Depo-Provera or a generic version of the birth control shot? 
2. Were you treated with the shot for more than one year (usually meaning four injections)? 
3. Were you diagnosed with a meningioma brain tumor? 

If you meet all of these criteria, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit and receive compensation. Every situation is different, and eligibility can depend on factors such as how long you used the shot, when you were diagnosed, and the filing deadline in your state. Those deadlines vary from state to state, and some can pass sooner than women expect. 

Because these deadlines can be strict, it helps to speak with a lawyer sooner rather than later. An attorney can review your history, help gather your medical and pharmacy records, and explain whether you have a claim. You do not need to have every document in hand before you reach out. 

Talk to Our Depo-Provera Lawyers Today

If you or a loved one used the generic Depo-Provera birth control shot and were diagnosed with a meningioma brain tumor, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit and receive compensation.  

Our law firm, Hissey, Mulderig & Friend is reviewing claims nationwide involving women who were diagnosed with meningioma brain tumors after taking Depo-Provera or the generic version of the birth control shot.  

There is no cost to receive a legal consultation from one of our attorneys. Our firm works on a contingency-fee basis, which means you pay no attorney fee unless we recover damages in your case. 

Talk with a lawyer about your situation, find out if you qualify to file a lawsuit, or start your claim today by contacting Hissey Mulderig & Friend toll-free at 1-866-806-8117, or by filling out the free claims submission form at the top of this page.