Pfizer faces lawsuits as new study shows deadly risks from contraceptive shot
A new study highlighting the risks of Pfizer’s contraceptive shot, Depo-Provera, could intensify the wave of lawsuits against the pharmaceutical giant, which stands accused of failing to warn women about its dangerous side effects.
Depo-Provera, or medroxyprogesterone acetate, uses a synthetic form of the hormone progestin to prevent ovulation. It was approved by the FDA in 1992, and now roughly 2-3 million Depo-Provera prescriptions are filled annually. Roughly one in four American women received Depo-Provera shots between 2015 and 2019, according to a National Health Statistics report.
A newly published study found that women who receive the shot face twice the risk of developing a meningioma—a tumor that forms in the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Though usually non-cancerous, a meningioma can become debilitating or even fatal if it exerts pressure on the brain. The researchers, from the Cleveland Clinic and Case Western Reserve University, looked at the medical records of 61.5 million women and found that women over 31 or women who took the shot for more than four years faced the greatest risk. Previous studies found that women who take the shot for more than a year are up to 5.5 times more likely to develop a meningioma.
Hundreds of women have come forward alleging that they developed meningiomas from Pfizer’s birth control jab. A class-action lawsuit has been filed against Pfizer in the Northern District of Florida, accusing the drugmaker of failing to warn women about the risks.
As of August 3rd, the law firm Miller & Zois had added more than 550 cases to the class action, which now includes over 1,200 claimants. One plaintiff, an Iowa City woman who received 25 Depo-Provera injections, claims she developed an intracranial meningioma—a brain tumor—that caused headaches, numbness, slurred speech, and double vision.
‘Pfizer knew the risks’
Miller & Zois’ attorneys say Pfizer knew about the risk of meningioma but did not warn the public.
“This is not a new problem. Studies linking Depo-Provera to meningioma go back to 1983, when researchers discovered that synthetic hormones could stimulate progesterone receptors in these tumors. That was a significant red flag—if anyone had bothered to look,” the law firm said.
“Pfizer knew the risks. The science was there. But instead of updating the warning label, it kept the information quiet and the sales rolling. Because, as history has shown, profits tend to win when profits and public safety go head-to-head.”
The lawyers added that while European and Canadian regulators required Pfizer to add warnings about meningiomas to Depo-Provera’s label, the FDA has taken no such action. The FDA approved the shot in 1992 after previously rejecting it over evidence of cancer risks. The New York Post reports that a “black box” warning was added to Depo-Provera’s label in 2004, warning about significant bone mineral density loss.
Miller & Zois estimates the number of meningioma cases from the jab could be as high as 1,045 to 1,568 per 100,000 women. They expect settlement payouts of $275,000 to $500,000.
‘Why are doctors continuing to prescribe these?’
Women in the UK are now also considering filing suit against Pfizer, the Daily Mail reported. Approximately 10,000 Depo-Provera prescriptions go out in the UK each month. The government’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority has already called for warnings about meningiomas to be added to the jab’s label.
Dr. Anne Henderson, a gynecologist who worked for Britain’s National Health Service for 17 years, said the data on the risks of Depo-Provera are not new and doctors who prescribe it long term could be medically negligent.
“Being advised to take medroxyprogesterone is absolutely shocking, verging on medical negligence,” she said. “These hormones were never designed to control period problems anything short of long-term.
“The data that presents the awful side effects of these hormones is not new, so why are doctors continuing to prescribe these without looking at the cold, hard facts? Women need to be self-educated and question: Why am I taking this? Is this the right thing for me?’”
