A Global Pattern of Exploitation
Depo-Provera’ s legacy is steeped in disturbing ethical failures— failures that disproportionately harmed poor women of color both in the U. S. and abroad. In her powerful article,“ Depo Provera: A 30-Year History of Harm to Women,” attorney Chelsie Green of Levin Papantonio outlines how the drug was pushed on vulnerable populations with little regard for informed consent or long-term consequences.
One of the most glaring examples took place in Atlanta during the 1960s, where roughly 11,400 women— many of them low-income, Black, and unmarried— received Depo-Provera injections as part of a clinical trial at the Grady Memorial Hospital Family Planning Clinic.
As Green writes,“ a majority of these women did not give informed consent.” They were not told of studies showing malignant tumors in animals, nor warned that the drug might cause permanent sterilization. Instead, many were coerced by the harsh choice between more pregnancies or a drug they were led to believe was their only option.
Internationally, the pattern continued.“ Over 70 foreign countries received Depo Provera due to political efforts to control population growth in those nations,” Green notes. The drug was distributed under the guise of development and health aid, with little transparency about its risks. The result: a form of medical colonialism in which“ manufacturers of pharmaceutical drugs chose profits over humanity.”
This exploitation was not accidental. It was systematic— and racially targeted.“ The women in the Grady Memorial Hospital Family Planning Clinic and all across the world may never receive the justice they truly deserve,” Green concludes. But as new litigation begins, a long-overdue reckoning may finally be underway.
* Florida Justice Association Journal, January / February 2025
WHAT PLAINTIFF LAWYERS NEED TO KNOW When the Upjohn Company( now part of Pfizer) first introduced Depo-Provera, it was hailed as a revolutionary form of birth control. But for thousands of women, the long-acting contraceptive injection may have come at a hidden cost: intracranial meningiomas— tumors that grow on the membranes surrounding the brain.
Recent litigation against Pfizer has brought new attention to the risks of Depo-Provera, particularly in cases where women developed disabling or life-threatening meningiomas after prolonged exposure to the drug’ s synthetic hormone, medroxyprogesterone acetate( MPA).
This isn’ t just about one or two cases. Legal action surrounding Depo- Provera is becoming a nationwide fight. In February 2025, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation centralized these cases in MDL No. 3140: In re: Depo-Provera Injection Products Liability Litigation, assigning the matter to U. S. District Judge M. Casey Rodgers in the U. S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida.
The formation of this multidistrict litigation( MDL) signals a new phase in the legal battle over Depo-Provera— and an opportunity for firms across the country to fight for women whose lives have been upended by this dangerous drug.
By 2019, 74 million women worldwide were using injectable birth control. In the U. S., nearly 1 in 4 sexually active women have used Depo- Provera, according to a 2023 CDC report.
UNDERSTANDING THE MEDICAL SCIENCE BEHIND INTRACRA- NIAL MENINGIOMA
Intracranial meningiomas are a type of brain tumor that forms in the thin layers of tissue covering the brain and spinal cord. Most of these tumors are benign, meaning they aren’ t cancer. However, even benign meningiomas can be dangerous. They can grow and press on parts of the brain, causing headaches, vision problems, memory loss, seizures, and even personality changes. Some people need surgery. Others may live with long-term brain damage.
The link between Depo-Provera and intracranial meningiomas stems from how the contraceptive drug works. Depo-Provera is a birth control shot that uses a powerful synthetic hormone called medroxyprogesterone acetate. It works by stopping ovulation and thickening cervical mucus— but it also floods the body with high levels of progestin. And that’ s where the concern comes into play.
Scientific studies have found that meningioma tumors often have progesterone receptors, meaning their growth and development responds to this hormone’ s signals. The study published in The BMJ found that women who had used high-dose progestins— especially Depo-Provera— had a much higher risk of developing intercranial meningiomas, especially if they used it for several years or received multiple injections. Some studies suggest that the risk goes up sixfold with long-term use.
Doctors and researchers have understood the relationship between meningioma tumors and progesterone for nearly a century, and that progestin can act like fuel for certain brain tumors. And for some women, especially those already at risk, Depo-Provera may have been the spark.
These tumors can be slow growing, meaning women who used Depo- Provera for years may not experience symptoms until considerable damage has occurred. For some, treatment requires invasive surgery, radiation, or ongoing neurological care.