The Depo shot lawsuit is real and legitimate, with litigation currently ongoing in the U.S. Multiple lawsuits allege Depo-Provera® (medroxyprogesterone acetate) caused meningioma brain tumors — and manufacturers failed to warn users of this risk.
In October 2024, the first Depo-Provera brain tumor lawsuit was filed by a woman in California who received injections from 2005 to 2021. After developing debilitating headaches and dizziness, she underwent surgery in 2022 to remove a brain tumor.
As of March 2025, over 70 Depo-Provera claims for meningiomas have been filed, with many being consolidated into a federal multidistrict litigation (MDL). Since thousands of women have used Depo-Provera, additional claims are expected to follow.
These lawsuits have been filed against Pfizer Inc., the manufacturer of the shot, as well as associated companies like Pfizer’s former Pharmacia & Upjohn unit and generic distributors Viatris, Greenstone, and Prasco.
Hundreds of women have already turned to Sokolove Law for help understanding their legal options and filing a Depo shot claim. Don’t miss your chance to take action — get started now with a free case review.
Who Qualifies for the Depo Shot Lawsuit?
To qualify for a Depo-Provera lawsuit, women need to have been diagnosed with a brain tumor after using the birth control shot for over a year.
Find out more about Depo-Provera lawsuit qualifications:
- Use of Depo-Provera: The brain tumor patient must have used the Depo-Provera birth control injection, Depo-SubQ Provera 104, or an authorized generic form of the drug.
- Duration of Use: The individual must have used Depo-Provera for at least one year. Research has shown that long-term use significantly increases the risk of developing meningiomas.
- Diagnosis of a Meningioma: The individual must have been diagnosed with a meningioma brain tumor after using Depo-Provera for a prolonged period.
- Taking Action Before the Deadline: There’s only a limited amount of time to file a Depo shot claim. If you wait too long, you may miss your chance to seek justice.
If you or a loved one meets this criteria, you may be able to file a lawsuit and pursue legal settlements that can help with medical costs, lost wages, and more.
To better understand whether you qualify for the Depo-Provera lawsuit, learn more about the key criteria allowing women across the country to take action.
Used Depo Shots or an Authorized Generic
Depo-Provera brain tumor lawsuits involve injectable contraceptives that all contain the same active ingredient, medroxyprogesterone acetate.
Products involved in the Depo shot litigation include:
- Depo-Provera, the brand-name injection
- Depo-SubQ Provera 104, a lower-dose version
- Authorized generics, or versions of the brand-name drug with a different label
Authorized generics of Depo-Provera are chemically identical to the brand-name products but marketed under a different label with the manufacturer’s approval.
Women who developed meningiomas after using any of these birth control products may be able to file a lawsuit against the drug’s manufacturer.
Prolonged Use of the Depo Shot
To qualify for a Depo-Provera lawsuit, you must have used the injection for over a year or received more than 4 shots (one every 3 months).
Studies suggest that the risk of meningiomas increases with prolonged exposure to medroxyprogesterone acetate, a synthetic form of the hormone progesterone.
Women were found to be over 400% more likely to develop meningioma tumors after 1 year of use, according to the BMJ.
Long-term use is believed to increase hormone levels in the body, which may contribute to more serious side effects and tumor growth over time.
Diagnosed with a Meningioma
Meningiomas are typically slow-growing tumors that develop in the layers of protective tissue covering the brain and spinal cord known as meninges.
Around 90% of meningiomas form in the brain, with 10% in the spinal cord, according to UpToDate®. Spinal meningiomas from Depo-Provera also qualify for litigation.
The majority of meningiomas have receptors for hormones like progesterone. The synthetic progesterone in Depo shots may encourage tumor growth by interacting with these receptors.
As the tumors grow, symptoms like headaches, vision loss, and seizures may develop. While some patients may only need regular monitoring to track the tumor’s growth, others may require surgery or radiation.
Lawsuits allege Pfizer knew Depo-Provera could increase the risk of brain tumors, but they didn’t add this risk to the drug’s warning label.
Filed Before the Deadline
The deadline to file a Depo-Provera brain tumor lawsuit depends on state laws known as statute of limitations.
In some states, you have as little as 1 year to take action after you’ve been diagnosed with a brain tumor or first learn about the link between Depo-Provera and meningiomas.
If too much time passes, you could lose the right to take legal action — and miss out on compensation. To protect your rights, it's important to speak with a lawyer as soon as possible.
What Comes Next in Depo Shot Litigation
Once you've been diagnosed with a meningioma and contacted an attorney, your legal team can determine if your case should be filed individually or as part of the multidistrict litigation (MDL).
Claims involving dangerous pharmaceutical drugs like Depo-Provera are often consolidated into an MDL, which helps streamline the legal process by grouping similar lawsuits together.
After your lawsuit has been filed, the next steps in the Depo shot litigation involve:
- Discovery: Both sides gather evidence to build their case. This may include medical records, internal company documents showing Pfizer knew about the risk of meningiomas, and expert testimony linking Depo shots to brain tumors.
- Settlement negotiations: Your lawyer will work to negotiate a Depo-Provera settlement amount with the defense. Settlements often allow victims to receive compensation without going to court.
- Trial and verdict: If a settlement isn’t reached, the case will move to a trial, where an attorney will present the case in court. A jury will then determine the outcome of the case in the form of a verdict.
Depo-Provera lawsuits are actively proceeding through the legal system. Women with meningiomas from the birth control shot may still have the opportunity to file a claim and seek justice.
A Depo shot class action lawsuit has also been proposed to seek medical monitoring for long-term users of the birth control injections who haven’t gotten sick yet.
Find Out If You Qualify for the Depo Shot Lawsuit
At Sokolove Law, our Depo shot lawyers are dedicated to helping patients stand up to powerful pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer and fight for the compensation they deserve.
With decades of experience handling dangerous pharmaceutical drug cases, we can determine if you qualify for the Depo-Provera lawsuit and prepare a strong case on your behalf.
Our Depo shot law firm offers free case reviews to help you:
- Get answers to all of your questions
- Understand your legal rights and options
- Feel supported as you share your experiences
- Take a stand against the companies responsible
- See if you may qualify for compensation
We’ve successfully helped thousands of injured clients across all 50 states get justice, securing more than $9.8 Billion total nationwide.
Call (800) 995-1212 now to find out if you may be eligible for the Depo shot lawsuit.
