Depo-Provera and Meningioma
Last updated: June 9, 2026
The recent litigation involving Depo-Provera centers on a specific medical concern: whether prolonged use of medroxyprogesterone acetate, the active ingredient in the shot, is associated with an increased risk of intracranial meningioma, a type of usually noncancerous brain tumor. This page explains what a meningioma is, what the research has reported, and how this connects to the lawsuits, while being careful about the difference between an association and proof of cause.
For the full legal picture, see Depo-Provera lawsuits. For the broader side effect profile, see Depo-Provera side effects.
This page is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical or legal advice. Most people who use Depo-Provera will not develop a meningioma. If you have been diagnosed with a brain tumor or have neurological symptoms, speak with a qualified physician.
What Is a Meningioma?
A meningioma is a tumor that develops in the meninges, the protective layers of tissue that surround the brain and spinal cord. Most meningiomas are noncancerous and slow growing. Many cause no symptoms and are discovered incidentally during imaging done for another reason, and some are simply monitored over time.
When a meningioma does cause problems, it is usually because of its size or location. As it grows, it can press on nearby brain tissue, nerves, or blood vessels. Depending on where it sits, that pressure can produce a range of neurological symptoms, and some meningiomas require surgery to remove or reduce them.
Symptoms of a Meningioma
Because symptoms depend on the size and location of the tumor, they vary widely. Reported symptoms can include:
- Headaches, sometimes worse in the morning or with changes in position
- Vision changes, such as blurred or double vision
- Hearing changes or ringing in the ears
- Seizures
- Weakness or numbness in part of the body
- Memory problems, confusion, or changes in personality
- Loss of smell
Many of these symptoms have causes unrelated to a brain tumor, and many meningiomas cause no symptoms at all. Only a physician, usually with imaging such as an MRI, can evaluate symptoms and make a diagnosis. This page is not a substitute for that evaluation.
What the Research Shows
Interest in a possible link between progestogens and meningioma grew with research examining medroxyprogesterone acetate specifically. Several findings have shaped the current discussion:
- The BMJ, 2024 (Roland et al.). A national case-control study using French national health data reported an elevated risk of intracranial meningioma requiring surgery among women with prolonged use of medroxyprogesterone acetate, with roughly a fivefold increased risk associated with use of one year or more.
- JAMA Neurology, 2025. A separate population-based study reported an approximately twofold increased risk of meningioma among Depo-Provera users compared with women not using hormonal birth control, with patterns varying by age at first use and total duration.
- Earlier literature. Case reports and smaller studies going back decades raised questions about hormone-sensitive growth of meningiomas, since many of these tumors carry hormone receptors.
What ties these together is that they focus on the same compound used in Depo-Provera and on prolonged use, which is the pattern at issue in the litigation.
Regulatory Attention and the FDA Label Change
European and Canadian regulators added meningioma-related warnings to high-dose progestogen labels, including products related to medroxyprogesterone acetate, between 2022 and 2024. In the United States, the FDA initially declined a 2024 request to add a meningioma warning. After Pfizer resubmitted an amended application in 2025, the FDA approved a label change in December 2025 for Depo-Provera CI and Depo-SubQ Provera 104.
The updated U.S. label states, in part, that meningiomas have been reported following repeated administration of medroxyprogesterone acetate, primarily with long-term use, and it instructs clinicians to monitor for signs and symptoms of meningioma and to discontinue the drug if one is diagnosed. Pfizer has publicly stated that it stands behind the safety and efficacy of Depo-Provera.
Association Is Not the Same as Cause
It is important to be precise here. An association reported in research means that a group with prolonged exposure experienced meningioma at a higher rate than a comparison group. That is different from proving, in any individual case, that the medication caused a particular person's tumor.
Meningiomas occur in people who never used Depo-Provera, and the large majority of people who use Depo-Provera will not develop one. Individual causation is a fact-specific question that depends on the diagnosis, the duration of use, medical records, and other factors, and it is exactly the kind of question that gets examined closely in litigation.
Who May Be Affected
The research concern centers on prolonged use rather than a single shot. People who used Depo-Provera over an extended period and were later diagnosed with an intracranial meningioma are the group most discussed in connection with the litigation. If that describes your situation, the appropriate next steps are a medical evaluation for the health questions and, separately, qualified legal counsel for the legal questions.
How This Connects to the Lawsuits
People who used Depo-Provera long term and were later diagnosed with a meningioma have filed lawsuits, and the federal cases have been consolidated in a multidistrict litigation, MDL 3140, in the Northern District of Florida. Our main guide explains the allegations, the federal proceeding, and the current status. Whether any individual situation supports a claim is fact-specific and depends on records and filing deadlines.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Depo-Provera cause a brain tumor?
Research published in 2024 reported an association between prolonged use of medroxyprogesterone acetate, the active ingredient in Depo-Provera, and an increased risk of intracranial meningioma, a usually noncancerous brain tumor. An association is not proof that the medication caused any individual person's tumor, and most people who use Depo-Provera will not develop a meningioma. Questions about an individual diagnosis should be discussed with a physician.
What is a meningioma?
A meningioma is a tumor that forms in the meninges, the layers of tissue covering the brain and spinal cord. Most meningiomas are noncancerous and slow growing, but depending on size and location they can press on the brain and cause symptoms, and some require surgery. Many are also found incidentally and monitored over time.
What are the symptoms of a meningioma?
Symptoms depend on the size and location of the tumor and can include headaches, vision or hearing changes, seizures, weakness, memory or personality changes, and other neurological symptoms. Many meningiomas cause no symptoms at all. Any concerning or persistent neurological symptom should be evaluated by a physician.
Is the link between Depo-Provera and meningioma proven?
Research has reported an association between prolonged use of medroxyprogesterone acetate and intracranial meningioma. An association found in studies describes a higher rate in an exposed group and is different from proof that the medication caused any one person's tumor. Whether a particular case supports a legal claim is a separate, fact-specific question for qualified counsel.
Sources
- Roland N. et al., intracranial meningioma and progestogen use, The BMJ, 2024.
- Population-based study on Depo-Provera and meningioma risk, JAMA Neurology, 2025.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Depo-Provera CI and Depo-SubQ Provera 104 prescribing information, including the December 2025 meningioma label change.
- National health information resources on meningioma diagnosis, symptoms, and treatment.
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