Panel consolidates Pfizer Depo-Provera lawsuits in Florida

Depo-Provera lawsuits overview:

• Who: A judicial panel consolidated more than 70 lawsuits against Pfizer.
• Why: The lawsuits argue Pfizer failed to warn both consumers and health care providers about the risk of brain tumors associated with its hormonal contraceptive drug Depo-Provera.
• Where: The lawsuits have been consolidated in the Northern District of Florida.
• How to get help: Consumers diagnosed with a brain tumor after using Depo Provera for more than a year may be eligible for compensation.

The U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation consolidated more than 70 lawsuits filed against Pfizer Inc. over its Depo-Provera hormonal contraceptive in the Northern District of Florida.

The lawsuits argue Pfizer failed to adequately warn patients and doctors about the risk of brain tumors associated with Depo-Provera, Law360 reports. They also claim Depo-Provera users developed intracranial meningiomas caused by using the drug or its generic form. 

The JPML determined the complaints share common questions of fact warranting consolidation.

Pfizer and Prasco Laboratories, a generic drug maker, argued for consolidation in New York while the majority of plaintiffs pushed for one of the three districts in California, where they filed most of the suits, Law360 reports.

Depo-Provera lawsuits lack merit, Pfizer claims

A Pfizer spokesperson reportedly says the company is pleased with the decision to centralize the lawsuits, which they say will make the process more efficient for all parties.

“Notably, this decision is a procedural ruling and does not address the merits of the underlying claims, which plaintiffs must still prove,” Law360 reports the spokesperson as saying.

Pfizer also says it believes the claims against it are without merit and that it stands behind the safety and efficacy of the drug used by millions of women worldwide. It also says Depo-Provera remains an important treatment option for women seeking to manage their reproductive health.

Last year, Pfizer agreed to pay $39 million to resolve claims its Wyeth unit conspired with Teva Pharmaceuticals to delay generic versions of the depression drug Effexor from reaching the marketplace.

Were you diagnosed with a brain tumor after using Depo-Provera? See if you qualify to seek compensation through a Depo-Provera lawsuit.

The plaintiffs are represented by Ellen Relkin, Brendan A. McDonough and Melinda Davis Nokes of Weitz & Luxenberg PC.

The Depo-Provera lawsuits are In re: Depo-Provera (Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate) Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 3140, in the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation.

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