Big Pharma’s Legal Escape Hatch
Women say Pfizer has failed to properly warn them about a link between birth control shot Depo-Provera and brain tumors. The pharmaceutical giant is now attempting to use a powerful legal maneuver to try to silence them.
According to more than 1,200 lawsuits, Pfizer has failed to properly warn the public about long-established links between Depo-Provera and meningiomas. (Ulrich Baumgarten / Getty Images)
It was early 2012 when doctors found a tumor in Kim Franzi’s brain.
It was a meningioma — a typically slow-growing, noncancerous tumor that originates in a layer of tissue between the brain and skull. Franzi underwent a risky two-day brain surgery to remove the mass, which doctors warned could leave her paralyzed or prove fatal. The operation was successful, but more than thirteen years later, she still suffers from side effects, including issues with her reflexes, teeth, hearing, and vision. Franzi considers herself one of the lucky ones.
“I was at work one day, the next day I was at the doctor, and my whole life changed,” said Franzi. “I just thought, who’s going to take care of my kids?”
This article is for subscribers only. Please login or subscribe to access our full archives and beautiful print and digital magazine starting at just $3 a month.