Received 14th August 2026
Dear Kathryn,
Thank you for contacting the Office of the Patient Safety Commissioner and for sharing your experience. I am responding on behalf of the Commissioner, Professor Henrietta Hughes.
I was very sorry to read about what you have been through following your diagnosis of two meningiomas, and the significant impact this has had on your life, including multiple surgeries, radiotherapy, loss of sight in one eye and an extended period away from work. Thank you also for taking the time to set out so clearly the concerns that you and other women have regarding Depo-Provera and meningioma.
The Commissioner believes that patient safety is improved when patients are listened to, believed and treated as partners in their care. Hearing directly from patients helps the Commissioner understand the real-world impact of medicines and ensures patient voices continue to inform our work. Your correspondence is therefore greatly appreciated.
You raise a number of important issues relating to awareness, acknowledgement of the evidence and informed consent. We have received correspondence from a number of patients raising concerns about the association between prolonged use of Depo-Provera and meningioma, and your email echoes many of the themes that have been shared with this office.
As you may be aware, the MHRA reviewed this issue and introduced strengthened warnings into the product information for medroxyprogesterone acetate, including Depo-Provera. The product information highlights the risk of meningioma associated with prolonged use and advises that the medicine should not be used by patients who have a meningioma or a history of meningioma. A communication was also issued to healthcare professionals to raise awareness of these risks.
However, the Commissioner recognises that updating product information and issuing safety communications is only one part of improving patient safety. The experiences described in your email raise a broader question about how awareness of important safety information is embedded across the healthcare system and how effectively this information reaches clinicians who prescribe, dispense or discuss treatments with patients.
For this reason, the Commissioner has recently written to a range of organisations across the healthcare system to seek further information about what action is being taken to raise awareness of the risks associated with Depo-Provera and how relevant safety information is being shared with healthcare professionals. This includes consideration not only of formal guidance and product information, but also wider educational resources, professional communications and other mechanisms that support learning and awareness amongst clinicians.
The Commissioner has been particularly concerned to understand what steps are being taken to ensure that patients receive clear information about potential benefits, risks and alternatives when discussing contraceptive options. Informed consent and supported decision making are central priorities of the Commissioner’s work, and she believes patients should be fully informed so they can make decisions that are right for them.
We hope this will provide a clearer picture of the work currently underway across the system. Once we have received and considered the responses, we would be happy to share a summary of any relevant outcomes with you.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact us and for sharing both your own experience and the concerns being raised by other women affected by this issue. We recognise the importance of these concerns and the impact they are having on those involved.
I wish you all the best and hope that your recovery and ongoing treatment progress as well as possible.
Best wishes,
On behalf of Prof Henrietta Hughes OBE
Patient Safety Commissioner