Pfizer Reaches Global Depo-Provera Settlement in Principle as MDL Passes 5,500 Cases

A June 15, 2026 court order confirmed that plaintiffs' lead counsel and Pfizer reached a global settlement in principle in the Depo-Provera meningioma litigation (MDL 3140). Judge M. Casey Rodgers vacated the first bellwether trial, Toney v. Pfizer, which had been scheduled for December 7, 2026, and rescheduled the general-causation Daubert hearing to July 27, 2026. The agreement follows a surge in filings: the docket grew by 1,739 new cases in June to reach 5,508 pending actions, the largest single-month increase in the litigation.

The agreement in principle occurred prior to rulings on Pfizer's federal preemption motion, before a Daubert order, and ahead of bellwether trials. It follows the FDA's December 2025 label change adding a meningioma warning to both injectable formulations, a development covered when the docket stood at roughly 2,100 cases in January.

What the June 15 Order Changed

Judge Rodgers issued two orders following the parties' settlement report. First, she vacated the trial and discovery deadlines in Toney v. Pfizer, the initial bellwether case. Second, she reset the general-causation Daubert hearing (which evaluates the scientific admissibility of plaintiffs' expert testimony) from late June to July 27, 2026.

The hearing remains on the docket because the settlement, once finalized, will apply to qualifying claimants under negotiated criteria. It does not resolve state-court filings. Pfizer maintains that the drug is safe and effective, and notes that the agreement contains no admission of liability.

Science and Regulatory Background

The litigation relies on a March 2024 BMJ study of 108,366 French women finding that users of injectable medroxyprogesterone acetate for one year or longer had 5.55 times the odds of developing an intracranial meningioma requiring surgery (adjusted OR 5.55; 95% CI 2.27-13.56). A November 2025 TriNetX study confirmed the association, reporting elevated risk among women who received the injection for four or more years.

On December 17, 2025, the FDA approved a meningioma warning for both Depo-Provera CI and Depo-SubQ Provera 104, representing the first meningioma disclosure on the U.S. label since the drug's 1992 contraceptive approval.

Preparing Case Files for Eligibility Criteria

Participation in the settlement will require meeting defined proof standards. When criteria are finalized, claims will evaluate proof of exposure (injection counts, duration of use, and product identification) and proof of injury (confirmed intracranial meningioma diagnosis on diagnostic imaging).

Strong case files include:

Proving injection history often presents the main retrieval challenge. Depo-Provera is administered quarterly at clinics, health departments, and private practices. Claimants often received injections across multiple facilities over many years. Records come back in 4 days on average, and 30 to 40% come back the same day. LlamaLab uses insurance data to fill in treatment gaps clients don't always remember, surfacing clinics, injection dates, and clinicians. Invoices are itemized per case to flow through as recoverable case disbursements on settlement statements.

Next Steps

Summary

The Depo-Provera litigation progressed from initial filings to a settlement in principle in under 18 months, supported by epidemiologic studies and an updated FDA warning label.

Law firms should review their Depo-Provera dockets to verify complete injection documentation and confirmed pathology before claims submission portals open.

Sources: MDL Update: Depo-Provera Settlement, MDL Update: MDL 3140, NBC News: FDA Label Change, Pediatric Endocrine Society: FDA Label Update, SuperLawsuits: Qualification Guide, Lawsuits Journal. Case counts current as of the June 2026 JPML report.

This article provides general information about Depo-Provera litigation developments and should not be construed as legal or medical advice. Consult with qualified professionals for advice specific to your situation.