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.”

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Source: The Guardian, 11 February 2026