UK law firms are considering legal action on behalf of women who developed brain tumors using the contraceptive injection Depo-Provera.
Depo-Provera is a high-dose synthetic progesterone, prescribed for contraception and other menstrual symptoms, administered by injection every three months. According to the United Nations 74 million women worldwide And 3.1% of UK women aged 15-49 use injectable contraception.
Several studies have shown that women taking Depo-Provera have an increased relative risk of developing meningiomas, but the overall risk remains low. Usually not cancerous, these benign tumors can cause seizures, blindness, hearing loss, headaches and memory problems.
Now several law firms are considering taking legal action against Pfizer in the UK. Austen Hayes A few potential clients told the Guardian, Fletchers‘ The website is actively seeking clients and Lee Day He said that it is in the early stages of considering the legal basis of any case.
Chaya Hanumanji, partner at Austen Hayes, said: “We have been contacted by at least 30 women with meningiomas due to long-term use of Depo-Provera.
“Their lives are significantly affected by brain tumours, with consequences such as loss of eyesight and, in one case, a woman terminating her pregnancy. The duty here is Pfizer To ensure that the drug is safe and to update warnings and contraindications as soon as new risks become known.
“We are examining the legal merits of each case with a view to bringing a claim in the UK.”
Jill Patterson, partner at Lee Day, said: “We have been aware for some time of the concerns raised about Depo-Provera. Meningiomas can have a devastating impact on women’s lives and assess the strength of any potential case of those affected.
“We are looking into the possibility of a legal claim against the manufacturer and hope to have a clear position on this soon.”
Potential UK legal cases come down to this Thousands of women have sued Pfizer in the US for compensation. Three law firms are leading the federal case, representing about 2,500 women, with the first hearing scheduled for December.
Prosecutors argued that Pfizer knew about the risk of meningioma since at least 2015, but failed to warn patients or medical professionals about the risks and failed to adequately warn the US regulator, the Food and Drug Administration.
Pfizer has denied liability and is contesting the lawsuit.
The health effects of meningioma can be devastating. Sandra Somarakis is one of the women suing Pfizer in the US for compensation and damages after developing a meningioma after long-term use of Depo-Provera. “Women shouldn’t have to go through what I went through,” she said. “There must be consequences.”
Somarakis, represented by Weitz & Luxenberg, took Depo-Provera for about 15 years and was diagnosed with a meningioma in 2008, for which she underwent surgery. In 2010 she had to undergo more surgeries and radiation treatment.
Fifteen years later, Somarakis still has serious health problems. “To this day, I’m speechless,” she said. “My left eyeball still pops out. It hurts, it’s watery. It’s hard to remember people’s names, I get lost easily.”
In the UK, Claire Buck, 47, believes the jab may have contributed to her meningioma and said she would consider bringing a legal suit against Pfizer, although she is currently focused on raising awareness.
“I have a teenage daughter and I don’t want that to happen,” she said. Buck had to have a metal plate placed in the front of her head after brain surgery for a large meningioma. A foster carer from Surrey who took Depo-Provera said her body was in shock when she came back from the operation. “I almost died,” she said. “I’m lucky to be here.”
Buck has life-changing ongoing symptoms. Her chewing muscle atrophied, causing great pain, she developed glaucoma and hearing and memory problems, and her mental health suffered.
“I’m afraid of hospitals, I live in constant fear of the tumor starting to grow again and I can’t cope with crowds or crowded places – I worry that someone might hit me on the head,” she said.
Emma (not her real name), 57, said evidence suggests taking Depo-Provera may have contributed to the growth of her meningiomas. Seizures on the left side of her body After developing, she was diagnosed in 2024. She took Depo-Provera for 15 years until 2019.
Although Emma says that, physically, she has recovered well from the surgery, she now suffers from fatigue and memory and attention problems. She also worries about the prognosis. “I’m afraid they’ll come back and I’ll end up with brain cancer or lose my vision.”
A Pfizer spokesperson said: “Patient safety is our top priority. We carry out rigorous and continuous monitoring of all our medicines, including assessments of reported adverse events, in collaboration with health authorities around the world.
“Depo-Provera has been approved in more than 60 countries over the past 30 years, has a well-established efficacy and safety profile, and has been the treatment of choice for millions of patients during that time.
“People should talk to their doctor, pharmacist or nurse if they have any concerns or experience any side effects.”
