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By Ashley C. Curran, Mass Tort Litigation Attorney
A significant development has occurred in the Depo-Provera litigation. On June 15, 2026, Pfizer and plaintiffs' leadership counsel announced a proposed settlement framework intended to resolve claims for all women who meet certain eligibility criteria in the multi-district litigation (MDL).
Because of this, the court has put the trial schedule on hold for one of the bellwether cases in the litigation, Toney v. Pfizer Inc. That case had been moving toward trial, but those dates are now paused while the agreement gets finalized.
In large cases like this one, where thousands of people are suing the same company over the same drug, the court doesn’t put every single case on trial right away. Instead, a small number of cases — often called “test cases” or “bellwether cases” — are chosen to go through the legal process first. Think of them as early test runs. How those cases play out can give both sides, and the court, a clearer picture of how juries are likely to view the evidence, which often helps push settlement talks forward for everyone else.
Toney v. Pfizer was one of these test cases. The court pausing its trial schedule is a significant development and a strong indication that settlement talks are progressing.
A global agreement is essentially a framework Pfizer and plaintiffs’ attorneys negotiate together to resolve a large group of similar cases at once, instead of fighting each one out individually at trial. It usually spells out who qualifies, how claims get submitted, and how compensation will be calculated.
Here’s what it’s not: it isn’t a final settlement, and it doesn’t automatically resolve every Depo-Provera case out there. The two sides are still working out the details, including exactly who will qualify. Those specifics haven’t been made public yet.
If you’re already working with us on a Depo-Provera claim, this is good news and a real step toward resolving cases, but what it means for your specific situation will depend on the eligibility rules once they’re finalized. Our mass tort attorneys are watching this closely and will reach out to you directly as soon as we know more about next steps. There’s nothing you need to do right now.
If you used Depo-Provera and were later diagnosed with a meningioma but haven’t talked to a lawyer yet, this news is a good reminder of how quickly this litigation is moving. We don’t yet know exactly who will qualify under the new agreement, but the only way to find out if you have a case — now or down the road — is to have it reviewed. Filing deadlines still apply in the meantime, so it’s worth not waiting.
Our attorneys are actively involved in the Depo-Provera litigation and continue to investigate new claims for women diagnosed with meningiomas after using the drug. We’ll keep watching this case closely, including the official terms of the agreement once they’re released, and we’ll keep our clients and the public updated as things move forward.
If you have questions about an existing claim, or think you might have a case, reach out for a free consultation. We handle these cases on a contingency fee basis, so you pay nothing unless we win.
Call us today at 302.655.2599 or contact us online to talk with our Depo-Provera mass tort litigation attorneys.
