The U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) refused to consolidate nine Mirena lawsuits, all of which allege the popular intrauterine birth control device caused users to develop a neurological condition known as pseudotumor cerebri.

The plaintiffs of these nine Mirena pseudotumor cerebri lawsuits argued that because they have similar claims and facts regarding neurological condition and painful side effects, these Mirena lawsuits require centralization. However, the JPML disagreed, stating that because only nine such lawsuits existed naming the same defendant and because these lawsuits were filed by the same counsel, there is no need for consolidation.

According to the JPML’s ruling on these pseudotumor cerebri lawsuits, “Although plaintiffs assert that the number of actions is likely to expand substantially, the mere possibility of additional actions does not convince us that centralization is warranted.”

These Mirena lawsuits will proceed in litigation as individual personal injury lawsuits. However, the JPML has ruled though that overlapping discovery can be shared among these Mirena pseuodotumor cerebri lawsuits.

The Mirena Pseuodotumor Cerebri Lawsuits are In Re: Mirena IUS Levonorgestrel-Related Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2559.

What is Pseudotumor Cerebri?

Pseudotumor cerebri (also referred to as intracranial hypertension) is a painful neurological condition in which a patient experiences increased brain pressure that mimics symptoms of a brain tumor.

Although researchers are still searching for the exact causes of the pseudotumor cerebri, many scientists and physicians have hypothesized that birth control products like Mirena may increase a woman’s risk of developing this neurological condition because they may be one of the causes of poor absorption of cerebrospinal fluid.

Based on recorded pseudotumor cerebri cases, some intracranial hypertension symptoms allegedly exhibited by birth control consumers include:

• Frequent headaches/migraines that start behind the eyes and increase in intensity with eye movement
• Pulsatile tinnitus
• Dizziness or nausea
• Vomiting
• Blurred vision, double vision, blind spots
• Vision loss in one or both eyes
• Difficulty seeing to the side (decreased peripheral vision)
• Seeing light flashes (photopsia)
• Neck stiffness
• Neck, shoulder or back pain
• Problems walking
• Forgetfulness
• Depression

Mirena is not the only birth control to allegedly increase the risk of developing pseudotumor cerebri. Other popular birth control products allegedly found to cause intracranial hypertension include:

• Yaz
• Yasmin
• Beyaz
• Ocella
• Depo-Provera
• Implanon
• Nexplanon
• NuvaRing
• Ortho Evra
• ParaGard

As a result of the pain and suffering experienced by intracranial hypertension victims, many individuals have filed Mirena pseudotumor cerebri lawsuits or joined a Mirena pseudotumor cerebri class action lawsuit.