Pfizer has come under fire for aggressively promoting a tumor-causing birth control in the U.S., all while quietly releasing a safer alternative in international markets like Europe.
Depo-Provera, a widely used hormonal contraceptive, has long been a popular choice for birth control in the US due to its convenience and effectiveness. Administered every three months via injection, many women trusted it without being aware of its serious risks.
Emerging evidence now reveals that the Pfizer birth control treatment increases the risk of brain and spinal tumors, specifically meningiomas.
What’s alarming is Pfizer’s involvement in this story. While millions of women in the U.S. were prescribed Depo-Provera despite the risks, Pfizer appears to have held back promoting a safer alternative it owned.
Studies have indicated that when Depo-Provera is administered subcutaneously (beneath the skin) rather than intramuscularly, the body absorbs it at a slower rate, likely reducing side effects, including the risk of meningiomas.
Despite this knowledge, Pfizer did not produce or widely promote a subcutaneous version of the 150mg Depo-Provera injection.
More troubling is the fact that Pfizer had an FDA-approved, lower-dose 104mg version of Depo-Provera, which contained less progestin and likely posed a lower risk of side effects, including tumors.
This safer version was used in Europe and other international markets, yet Pfizer failed to market or push this alternative in the United States.
By not informing prescribers or women about this safer option, Pfizer allowed the riskier, higher-dose version to dominate the U.S. market.
As investigations continue, questions arise about why Pfizer prioritized profits over patient safety. If it is confirmed that Pfizer knowingly withheld safer options, this decision has left many women facing life-altering diagnoses of brain and spinal tumors, along with invasive surgeries and other devastating consequences.
