Women deserve honesty, not silence, over Depo-Provera concerns
This is about accountability, dignity and generations to come, says Michelle Young
For many women, contraception is how they plan their lives, manage their health, pursue education, build careers and care for their families. That is why trust matters so profoundly.
Depo-Provera has been used by women across Scotland for years and has been valued for its convenience and reliability. For many, it might well have been the right choice based on what they were told. This is not an argument against contraception, It is about whether women were properly informed before making that decision.
Thompsons are now acting for more than 150 women who say they used Depo-Provera and later developed meningioma tumours that grow from membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. Most clients have suffered horrendous symptoms, invasive treatment and long periods of uncertainty. Many are left asking the same stark question: Why were we never told this was a potential risk? That question deserves to be heard.
In October 2024, a healthcare professional communication was issued by Pfizer (who manufacture Depo-Provera) in agreement with the MHRA. This communication referred to a “small increased risk of developing meningioma with high doses of medroxyprogesterone acetate, primarily after prolonged use over several years”.
Those are significant words. They do not mean every woman who used Depo-Provera will develop a tumour. However, the risk is “small” – and “small” is not the same as “irrelevant”, particularly to the women whose lives have been impacted. In medicine, rare harms matter because the consequences can be severe, patterns can be missed when symptoms are minimised and informed consent is not a formality; it is a fundamental principle.
For many women affected by Depo-Provera, concerning symptoms have been normalised or overlooked. Reports of persistent headaches, visual disturbance, memory problems, seizures and other neurological issues have been treated in isolation, rather than considered alongside prolonged use of the medication.
As emerging evidence has highlighted potential risks associated with long-term use there is a growing need for clearer guidance and greater vigilance within the medical community. Healthcare professionals must be equipped to recognise patterns of symptoms that may warrant further investigation and to ensure that patients’ concerns are taken seriously and explored in full.
Medicines that continue to be widely prescribed across the NHS must be subject to rigorous scrutiny, ongoing evaluation and clear, transparent communication of risks so that patients are able to make fully informed decisions about their care.
At its heart, this is about accountability and dignity. Women are not asking to be alarmed or deterred; they are asking for honesty. They are asking that their experiences are not dismissed as inconvenient anomalies or reduced to statistics. What they seek is simple: to be listened to, to be taken seriously and to have been given the information they needed at the point when it matters most.
Thompsons Scotland are calling for greater awareness across the healthcare system and for a UK-wide public inquiry into Depo-Provera and its potential links to meningiomas and other health risks. It is about ensuring that no one else is left asking the same unanswered questions or facing the same uncertainty in the years to come.
This is not only about bringing recognition to the impact already caused to many women, but also about implementing change to protect generations of young women to come.
Michelle Young is a Partner, Thompsons Scotland