Funding contraceptive development

Abstract

Levels of funding for contraceptive development remain remarkably modest and uncertain. Pharmaceutical industry interest in development of new contraceptives has all but vanished; public sector R&D on methods of fertility control is conducted by small-scale organizations with limited, short-term funds. Contraceptive development is not attractive to industry because of its high cost and risk, the length of time required to obtain regulatory approval, and lack of adequate product liability insurance. Public sector R&D organizations have difficulty in obtaining substantial support from governmental and private donors because of impatience for short-term results, concern that small-scale operations are not effective, tensions between US and European donors, and even ambivalence on the usefulness of new technology. Positive developments include collaborative efforts by several public sector contraceptive development groups among themselves and with industry and the initiation of World Bank funding for contraceptive research. A solution to the product liability crisis must be found, however, if contraceptive development, testing and marketing of new contraceptives in the United States is to continue.