France Issues Health Warning Over Meningioma Risk Linked to Desogestrel Contraceptives

The French National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (ANSM) has issued a warning to approximately 1.6 million women who used contraceptives containing desogestrel, such as Cerazette, regarding an increased risk of developing meningioma. A meningioma is a typically benign tumor that grows in the membranes surrounding the brain. The ANSM characterized the risk as low and notified approximately 90,000 physicians who prescribed the medication in a 75 microgram dosage.

A 2024 study by the scientific group Epi-Phare found that one in 67,000 women using desogestrel developed a related meningioma, with the incidence rising to one in 17,000 after five years of treatment. The risk doubles after seven years of use but disappears one year after the treatment is stopped. Women over 45 and those who previously used other high risk progestogens for more than a year are more susceptible. The ANSM advises patients not to stop their contraception without medical guidance to avoid unplanned pregnancy and suggests discussing the matter during routine consultations.

Medical professionals have emphasized the balance between risks and benefits, noting that desogestrel is highly effective for treating endometriosis and heavy menstruation. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has decided to include this risk in the product leaflets following the request from the French agency. Symptoms that warrant medical attention include persistent headaches, visual changes, muscle weakness, balance or speech disorders, memory loss, or new or worsening epileptic seizures.

While a center leaning source focused on the clinical data and medical guidance, a center left leaning source framed the event as a catalyst for a broader discussion on contraceptive side effects and the declining use of the pill among women of childbearing age.