Legal: Suicide attempt blamed on leuprolide injection

A 27-year-old New York woman with a history of depression was diagnosed with endometriosis in 2003. Her gynecologist treated her with an injection of leuprolide (Lupron). Five days later the patient called the doctor's office and reported she was suffering depression and she was seen the following day. Eleven days later she unsucessfully attempted suicide, then underwent 3 days of inpatient psychiatric evaluation and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She was then treated as an outpatient.

The woman sued the gynecologist, alleging that her depression and attempted suicide were caused by the leuprolide, and that it was negligent to give it and not disclose the risk of depression. She claimed she was unable to endure the company of people and so is unable to work.

The gynecologist claimed depression is a rare side effect of Lupron and it did not need to be disclosed and the patient's depression has subsided. She argued the depression was not from the drug. A defense verdict was returned.