04/13/2026
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new safety warning for Depo-Provera, a widely used birth control shot made by Pfizer, alerting patients to a possible risk for a type of brain tumor called meningioma.
The agency signed off last week on a label update for two versions of the Depo-Provera injection, requiring new language about the tumor risk.
About 25% sexually active women in the United States have used the shot at some point, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The decision comes as Pfizer faces lawsuits from more than 1,000 women who say the company knew about the risks and didn’t warn them.
Depo-Provera is a hormone-based birth control shot given once every three months. It contains progestin, a synthetic version of the hormone progesterone.
Lupron is controversial treatment and to me not a healthy option in my Endo world for wanting better for endometriosis patients because while some times effective for temporary pain relief by inducing a “menopausal” state, is causes severe and long-lasting side effects. These include significant bone density loss, severe depression, suicidal thoughts, emotional liability, and vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes) and much more.
Lupron Depot for endometriosis is typically administered via intramuscular injection by a healthcare professional either once a month (3.75 mg dose) or once every 3 months (11.25 mg dose).
Treatment NEEDS to be limited to a total of 6 months to minimize bone density loss, often paired with “add-back” hormone therapy.
Patients often express frustration, feeling forced to choose between the physical pain of endometriosis and the severe side effects of the medication.
I preferred alternatives including Lo Loestrin Fe is a widely prescribed, low-dose, combination oral contraceptive (estrogen and progestin), bioidentical progesterone for just balance not contraceptive and laparoscopic excision surgery.
Meningiomas are usually not cancerous, but, depending on their size and location, they can cause serious health problems.
