Women left with life-changing injuries after using the Depo-Provera contraceptive injection have called on Andy Burnham to launch a UK-wide probe into the drug, after their open letter to the Prime Minister was snubbed.
The group of Scottish women sent a letter to Burnham on September 4, demanding that his government leads an inquiry into the impact of the injection on long-term patients. They have shared testimonies of suffering from brain tumours and bulging eyes as a result of the medication, and want an investigation into how effectively regulators, pharmaceutical companies and healthcare providers identified, monitored, and communicated the risks with patients.
Four weeks on, the group say they have been left outraged after their letter was ignored.
Victims speak out
Tammy Croston, from Cupar in Fife, began taking Depo-Provera in 1999. She was left partially blind after surgery to remove one of four meningioma tumours went wrong. The mum-of-two told the Record: "To be ignored shows women's health is not being taken seriously enough at UK Government level."
Tammy, who is among 150 Scottish women currently pursuing drug manufacturer Pfizer for damages, continued: "Are our cases not significant enough? Women, myself included, have been left with lifelong injuries.
"The Prime Minister and UK Government need to be aware of the severity of this drug and our calls need to be addressed urgently because this injection has been on the market for over 40 years without review. If that doesn't happen, then the Prime Minister is hushing away the fact that thousands more women could be left in the same situation we are in years to come."
Growing number of victims
The Record first highlighted the side effects experienced by women who had taken the jag in February, when only two victims were known. That number has risen rapidly as the scandal has been uncovered. While Thompsons Solicitors Scotland is currently representing the 150 women in their fight against Pfizer, Tammy also runs an online community support group which now has more than 500 members.
Their letter to Burnham reads: "Although our group is based in Scotland, our advocacy is for women affected throughout the whole of the United Kingdom. Women across all four nations have been exposed to the same medication and deserve to know that their concerns are being taken seriously.
"We represent thousands of women who have already received a meningioma diagnosis, as well as potentially many others throughout the UK who may remain unaware that they have developed these tumours due to using Depo-Provera."
Research and legal action
Research by the British Medical Journal (BMJ) in 2024 found a distinctive link between Depo-Provera and meningiomas - non-cancerous brain tumours. It stated that women who used the drug were five times more likely to be diagnosed with meningiomas than women who have never used the birth control.
Earlier this month, Scotland's Chief Pharmaceutical Officer instructed all GPs to warn women about tumour side effects after the women took their fight to Holyrood. The letter also instructed healthcare providers to review prescriptions every two years and to be aware of the actions they should take if a tumour is suspected.
Thousands of women in America are currently in the process of suing Pfizer. In June, the pharmaceutical giant agreed to settle over 5,000 US lawsuits. Further group actions are also expanding across England and the rest of the UK.
Patrick McGuire, senior partner with Thompsons Solicitors Scotland, said: "The victims of this dangerous drug deserve answers. They need to know why they were so badly let down by the system and that lessons will be learned and that patient concerns about the side effects of drugs will be taken seriously in the future. The only way to secure those outcomes is via a full UK-wide public inquiry."
Scottish Labour Health spokesperson Jackie Baillie said: "No option should be off the table in the search for the truth. Every level of government must consider what they can do to improve safety and care in our NHS and establish the truth about these injections."
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "Our thoughts are with anyone affected by the side effects linked to Depo-Provera. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency actively monitors medicines for their safety using the full range of available evidence, including emerging research, global data, and international developments. As with any medicine, the government will consider the most appropriate regulatory action if significant new information emerges."
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. We would encourage people to speak to their doctor, pharmacist or nurse if they have any concerns or experience any side effects."
