Women left with brain tumours after years of taking the contraceptive jab are set to demand action from the Scottish Parliament.
Eight women who were all prescribed Depo-Provera will hold crunch talks with MSPs at Holyrood on June 24 after they each developed meningiomas – benign tumours that grow around the brain and spinal cord.
The monumental sit-down was secured after the Record highlighted the plight of multiple victims left with deformities, including bulging eyes and sight loss, after years of taking the Pfizer-manufactured injection.
View 4 ImagesTammy was left without the use of one of her eyes after surgery to remove her tumour went wrong(Image: UGC)
The group are set to demand a UK-wide review of the shot to assess its suitability for continued use. They also want NHS staff to be informed of its lethal side effects and ensure these are communicated to patients before prescription.
The victims also want women who present symptoms of brain tumours after taking the shot to be screened by the NHS.
Tammy Croston, from Cupar in Fife, was left without the use of one of her eyes after surgery to remove one of her four meningiomas went wrong.
The 47-year-old took the shot on and off for several years before four non-cancerous tumours were located inside her skull. Tammy, a mum-of-two, will chair the meeting later this month.
View 4 ImagesKirsty Moore, who is being represented by Thompsons Scotland, used Depo Provera for 21 years
She told the Record: “We are delighted to have secured a meeting with the Scottish Parliament in our fight to better regulate Depo-Provera. The side effects of this lethal injection must be known and an urgent review into continued use of the drug is needed.
“Many women in our group were not told of this contraceptive’s deadly side effect and now some of us have been left with life-changing injuries.”
In 2024, a study was published in the British Medical Journal finding 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.
A meningioma is a tumour that grows in the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord, meaning invasive surgery or radiotherapy is often needed to remove them. Women affected by Depo Provera in Scotland are being represented by Thompsons Solicitors in their battle for compensation from Pfizer.
View 4 ImagesTrish Saunders, from Aberdeen, pictured after surgery to remove a meningioma
The legal action in Scotland comes as around 3,000 women are currently suing the pharmaceutical giant for compensation in the US.
Tammy said: “Damages are not enough without change. Women are still being prescribed this drug without knowing the full facts. At the end of the day, these are women’s lives – mothers, daughters, sisters and aunties – Pfizer is playing with.”
Patrick McGuire, senior partner with Thompsons Solicitors Scotland, said: “The visit of my clients to Holyrood to meet parliamentarians is a very welcome development. For too long this scandal of a link between Depo-Provera and brain tumours has been hidden from the public. This has to end. The ladies affected and myself are very keen to speak to MSPs from all parties and to enlist their help in achieving justice and accountability.
“The scourge of Depo-Provera and its link to brain abnormalities has taken a toll on many women throughout the UK but Scotland is leading the way. One option that we’re considering is calling for a UK wide inquiry with Scottish Depo survivors and Holyrood blazing a trail on this. We believe this could help bring the answers and justice that so many women across these islands are calling for.”
Community Care Minister Alison Thewliss said: “I have the utmost sympathy for women who believe they have been harmed by Depo Provera, however I cannot comment on matters which may be subject to legal action. The regulation of medicines is reserved to the UK Government, meaning any further investigation into Depo Provera would be a matter for the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to consider.”
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