TL;DR - On June 15, 2026, plaintiffs' lead counsel and Pfizer entities reached a global agreement in principle to resolve eligible claims in MDL No. 3140. - The agreement came before any ruling on Pfizer's preemption defense, before a general-causation ruling and before any bellwether trial. - No dollar amount, eligibility criteria or claims process has been made public, and no payments have been made. - The first bellwether trial, which had been set for December 2026, was taken off the calendar.
What was announced
Judge M. Casey Rodgers of the Northern District of Florida entered an order confirming that plaintiffs' lead counsel and defendants Pfizer Inc., Pharmacia LLC and Pharmacia & Upjohn Co. had reached a global agreement in principle to resolve eligible claims in the Depo-Provera litigation. The claims allege that the injectable contraceptive, or its generic equivalents, can cause intracranial meningiomas, a type of brain tumor.
Why the timing is unusual
The deal was reached unusually early for a mass tort of this size. Pfizer had argued that federal drug-labeling law preempts the claims. The FDA approved a meningioma warning on the U.S. label in December 2025, which weakened that defense, and the court had ordered supplemental briefing on the effect of the change. The settlement came before the court ruled on preemption or general causation.
Schedule changes
Judge Rodgers vacated the deadlines in the first bellwether case, which had been set for trial in December 2026, and moved a major causation hearing from June 24 to July 27 while the parties worked to finalize the terms. Later reporting indicates that new pilot cases were selected following the tentative settlement.
Size of the docket
The MDL grew from 78 cases in March 2025 to more than 3,000 a year later, and 6,403 cases were pending as of September 1, 2026.
What claimants should know
An agreement in principle is not a finished settlement. Until the terms are published, it is not possible to say who will qualify or how much compensation will be offered. Women who used Depo-Provera and were diagnosed with a meningioma should consult a licensed attorney about filing deadlines and documentation.
For the full litigation history, see our Depo-Provera case guide.
The information on mass-torts.com is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is created by using this website. Laws vary by state and jurisdiction. For advice about your specific situation, consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction. mass-torts.com is not a law firm and does not provide legal representation.