Pfizer is currently involved in a lawsuit on behalf of women who have developed brain and spinal tumors, referred to as meningiomas, following their administration of the Depo-Provera birth control injection or depo-subQ provera 104, which is also used in the treatment of endometriosis.
What is Depo-Provera?
The Depo-Provera contraceptive has been available worldwide for nearly 60 years, with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approving its use in the United States in October 1992.
Approximately one to two million women in the U.S. use Depo-Provera each year, and around 20% of women in the country have utilized it at some point in their lives.
In the U.S., a 150 mg dose is administered via intramuscular injection every three months, typically in the buttock or upper arm.
Depo-subQ provera 104 is a progestin designed for women of reproductive age to prevent pregnancy and alleviate pain associated with endometriosis. It is administered as a subcutaneous injection in the thigh or abdomen.
According to the Mayo Clinic, endometriosis is often a painful condition characterized by tissue similar to the inner lining of the uterus growing outside of it. This condition commonly affects the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and the tissue lining the pelvis, with pelvic pain being its primary symptom.
