Lawsuits Claim Pfizer Failed to Warn of Brain Tumor Risk From Birth Control Shot

"It was early 2012 when doctors found a tumor in Kim Franzi's brain. It was a meningioma - a typically slow-growing, non-cancerous tumor that originates in a layer of tissue between the brain and skull. Franzi underwent a risky two-day brain surgery to remove the mass, which doctors warned could leave her paralyzed or prove fatal. The operation was successful."

"Before discovering the tumor, Franzi used the birth control shot Depo-Provera for more than 15 years. The shot has been used by roughly one in four sexually active women in the United States, bringing in hundreds of millions in profits annually for the pharmaceutical behemoth Pfizer, which manufactures and distributes the drug. But according to more than 1,200 lawsuits, Pfizer has failed to properly warn the public about long-established links between Depo-Provera and meningiomas."

Kim Franzi underwent a risky two-day surgery in 2012 to remove a meningioma and continues to experience reflex, dental, hearing, and vision problems more than 13 years later. Franzi used the birth control shot Depo-Provera for over 15 years. Depo-Provera has been used by roughly one in four sexually active women in the United States and generates hundreds of millions in annual profits for Pfizer, which manufactures and distributes the drug. More than 1,200 lawsuits allege Pfizer failed to properly warn the public about established links between Depo-Provera and meningiomas, with roughly 9,500 additional cases expected. Pfizer argues federal preemption could override conflicting state law and shield the company from liability.

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