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Depo-Provera and meningioma, what we know today
The current, sourced picture of the Depo-Provera meningioma question, stated precisely, with the honest limits of what is known.
What is the Depo-Provera and meningioma connection?
Two peer-reviewed studies found a link between the depo shot and meningioma, a usually non-cancerous brain tumor. A 2024 BMJ study found women who used the depo shot had 5.55 times the risk of a meningioma diagnosis. That’s compared with women who never used it. A 2025 JAMA Neurology study followed more than 10 million US women. Within a matched group of 88,667 depo shot users, it found 2.43 times the risk.
Both numbers describe relative risk, not a guarantee. The JAMA Neurology study also reported a number needed to harm of 1,152. In plain terms, researchers estimate it takes roughly 1,152 women at that exposure level to see one additional meningioma diagnosis. The FDA added a new warning to the depo shot’s label on December 12, 2025. It tells doctors to monitor for meningioma symptoms and discontinue the drug if one’s found.
That’s the FDA saying to watch for it. It isn’t a ruling that the depo shot causes meningioma in any one woman. No court has decided that question yet. See where the three key studies agree and where they differ for the full picture.
What’s the lawsuit status right now?
Pfizer and plaintiffs’ lawyers reached a settlement in principle on June 15, 2026. It’s a real agreement, but it isn’t finalized yet, and it isn’t a payout. It covers only people who already had a case pending in the federal litigation, known as MDL 3140. And it covers them only if they meet eligibility criteria the parties haven’t made public yet.
As of July 1, 2026, the court’s own count showed 5,830 pending actions. That count has nearly doubled since March, and the court is still taking new cases today. You can see the full case-count trend here.
Is there a deadline, or am I already too late?
No. No deadline exists. The rules for who’s covered by the settlement aren’t public yet. No registration window or claim-form deadline has been announced, by the court or anyone else.
The court is still accepting new filings while the settlement is being finalized. If you used the depo shot and were later diagnosed with meningioma, that door is still open to you today.
What we don’t know yet
A few things aren’t public yet, and it’s worth saying so plainly instead of guessing.
- Who qualifies for the settlement. The eligibility criteria among pending plaintiffs haven’t been disclosed.
- What it’s worth. No dollar figure or per-case settlement range is confirmed. Any number attached to “the settlement” right now is an attorney’s estimate, not a disclosed term.
- Whether the science holds up in court. The court hasn’t ruled on general causation. A hearing on the studies behind this litigation is scheduled for September 18, 2026. Until that hearing happens and a ruling follows, no court has decided whether the depo shot caused any individual woman’s meningioma.
None of that uncertainty changes what’s already true today. The depo shot is linked to a higher meningioma risk in two peer-reviewed studies. A settlement is being finalized, and the court is still taking new cases.