UK law firms consider action on behalf of women who developed brain tumours after using contraceptive
UK law firms are considering legal action on behalf of women who developed brain tumours after using the contraceptive injection Depo-Provera.Depo-Provera is a high-dose synthetic progesterone, prescribed for contraception and other menstrual symptoms, administered via injection every three months.According to UN calculations, 74 million women worldwide and 3.1% of UK women aged 15-49 use injectable contraception.Multiple studies have shown that women who take Depo-Provera have a much higher relative risk of developing meningiomas, though the overall risk remains low.
Not normally cancerous, these benign tumours can cause seizures, blindness, hearing loss, headaches and memory problems.Now several law firms are hoping to take legal action against Pfizer in the UK.Austen Hays told the Guardian it had some potential clients, Fletchers’ website is actively seeking clients and Leigh Day said it is in the early stages of considering the legal basis for any case.Chaya Hanoomanjee, a partner at Austen Hays, said: “We have been approached by at least 30 women who have developed meningiomas following prolonged use of Depo-Provera.“Their lives have been considerably impacted due to having brain tumours, with consequences such as loss of vision and, in one case, a woman having to terminate her pregnancy.
The duty here lies with Pfizer to ensure a drug is safe and to update warnings and contraindications as soon as new risks become known,“We are looking into the legal merits of each case, with a view to bringing a claim in the UK,”Jill Paterson, a partner at Leigh Day, said: “We have been aware for some time of the concerns that have been raised in relation to Depo-Provera,We know the devastating impact meningiomas can have on women’s lives and are assessing the strength of any potential case of those affected,“We are investigating the potential for a legal claim against the manufacturer and hope to be able to have a clear position on this soon.
”The potential UK legal cases come as thousands of women are suing Pfizer for compensation in the US.Three law firms are leading a federal case, representing approximately 2,500 women, with the first trial to be held in December.The lawyers contend that Pfizer knew the risk of meningioma since at least 2015, but failed to warn patients or medical professionals of the risks, and failed to adequately warn the US regulator, the Food and Drug Administration.Pfizer has not admitted liability and is contesting the litigation.The health impacts 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 live with what I’ve gone through,” she says.“There has to be consequences.”Somarakis, who is represented by Weitz & Luxenberg, took Depo-Provera for about 15 years and was diagnosed with meningioma in 2008, for which she had surgery.In 2010 she had to have more surgery and radiation treatment.
Fifteen years later, Somarakis still has serious ongoing health problems,“To this day, I can’t open my mouth wide,” she says,“My left eyeball still pops out,It’s sore, it’s watery,It’s hard to remember people’s names, I get lost easily.
”In the UK, Claire Buck, 47, believes the jab could have contributed to her meningioma and says she would consider bringing a legal claim against Pfizer, though at present her focus is on raising awareness.“I have a teenage daughter that I wouldn’t want this to happen to”, she says.Buck had to have a metal plate put in the front of her head, after brain surgery for a large meningioma.The foster carer from Surrey, who took Depo-Provera for a number of years, says her body went into shock when she came round from the operation.“I nearly died,” she says.
“I’m lucky to be here.”Buck has life-changing ongoing symptoms.Her chewing muscle has shrunk, causing a lot of pain, she has developed glaucoma and hearing and memory problems, and her mental health has suffered.“I’m terrified of hospitals, I live in constant fear the tumour will start to grow again and I can’t cope with crowds or busy spaces – I worry someone might hit my head,” she said.Emma (not her real name), 57, believes the evidence suggests that taking Depo-Provera could have contributed to the growth of her meningiomas.
She was diagnosed in 2024, after she developed seizures on the left side of her body.She had taken Depo-Provera for 15 years until 2019.Although Emma says that, physically, she has recovered well from her surgery, she now suffers from fatigue, and memory and attention problems.She also worries about the prognosis.“I fear that they might come back and I end up with brain cancer or losing my sight.
”A spokesperson for Pfizer said: “Patient safety is our top priority,We conduct rigorous and continuous monitoring of all our medicines, including assessments of reported adverse events, in collaboration with health authorities around the globe,“Depo-Provera has been approved in more than 60 countries over the last 30 years, has a well-established efficacy and safety profile, and has been a treatment option 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,”
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