A woman who has been left with a brain tumour the size of a tangerine after taking a contraceptive jag has told how doctors described it as a ‘Wonderdrug’.
Kirsty McCord, from Biggar in South Lanarkshire, has joined a group of 150 women in Scotland who are currently seeking damages against pharmaceutical giant Pfizer.
The 52-year-old says she was was prescribed the Depo-Provera injection at the age of 18 and used the drug consistently for 34 years before she collapsed and suffered a seizure in February last year.
After multiple hospital appointments and Kirsty’s persistence in asking for an MRI scan, a sizable meningioma – a non cancerous brain tumour – with a cyst attached to it was discovered inside her skull.
Speaking to the Record, Kirsty said: “Being told I had a brain tumour was a huge shock. It has been life-altering.
“I never made the link between the tumour and Depo-Provera until my mum mentioned it at a doctor’s appointment, I wasn’t ever aware. Even then, my doctor couldn’t tell us if that’s what had caused my tumour”.
View 3 ImagesThe tangerine-sized tumour, and cyst, in Kirsty’s skull(Image: Supplied)
Kirsty underwent invasive surgery to partially remove the tumour and drain the cyst last July. She now lives in constant fear of the tumour growing and the thought of developing further masses.
She said: “Depo-Provera was sold to me like it was some sort of wonderdrug, as it was sold to the doctors by Pfizer. I used to just walk in, get my injection and walk out again. It was convenient and easy.
“I had horrendous periods and it helped with that. Now, I am terrified in case it grows or that I develop further tumours.
“My tumour has left me constantly fatigued, I’ll never have the same energy levels as I used to.”
In 2024, a study published by the British Medical Journal found that prolonged use of Depo-Provera causes a significant increase in the risk of developing meningioma brain tumours. The study found that women who used Depo-Provera were five times more likely to be diagnosed with meningiomas compared to women who never used the birth control shot.
View 3 ImagesTammy Croston, Kirsty McCord, Nichola Mackay, Sonja Ferrier, Patricia Saunders and Shona Gilmore outside Holyrood(Image: Daily Record)
Like many other victims, Kirsty says she was never made aware of the dangers.
Last week, the women took their fight to the Scottish Parliament and made calls on the government to lead a UK-wide public inquiry into the jab.
Kirsty said: “The side effects were never made clear to me. When women make a choice, they should be aware of the full facts. Pfizer needs to be held to account for this.”
Last month, Pfizer settled an agreement to settle over 5,000 lawsuits in the US. Women claimed the pharmaceutical giant failed to warn patients about the risk of meningiomas.
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Patrick McGuire, senior lawyer at Thompsons Solicitors, which is representing the women in Scotland, said: “What Kirsty has gone though is simply horrendous. To be prescribed this medication for so long with no warning about side effects is scandalous. Kirsty and many other brave women have found strength and solidarity by coming together through this legal action and with our help and the continuing support of the Daily Record we will make sure Pfizer is properly held to account.”
A spokesperson for Pfizer said: “Patient safety is our top priority. We conduct rigorous and continuous monitoring of all our medicines, including assessments of reported adverse events, in collaboration with health authorities around the globe. Depo-Provera (medroxyprogesterone acetate) has been approved in more than 60 countries over the last 30 years, has a well-established efficacy and safety profile and has been a treatment option for millions of patients during that time.”
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