Worldwide Trends in Funding for Contraceptive Research and Evaluation

Abstract

In the past 5 years funding has declined in constant dollars for reproductive and contraceptive research and for the evaluation of long-term contraceptive safety; there has been a general increase in coordination and planning among publicly supported programs, as well as between these programs and private industry. There has been no substantial relaxation of regulatory requirements, and little has been done to make contraceptive research and development (R and D) more attractive to industry. The threat of liability suits and the difficulty in obtaining product liability insurance have become more salient than 5 years ago. This is increasingly restricting clinical research into new methods by both private industry and publicly supported research groups. Nonetheless some major advances have been recorded over the same period. The NORPLANT system, the Today contraceptive sponge, the TCu 380A (a copper-bearing IUD), and biphasic and triphasic pills have all become available in at least some developed and developing countries. In addition, several methods are in advanced stages of clinical trial (e.g., injectable contraceptives for 1 and 6 months' duration; an improved implant, a progestin releasing vaginal ring and Gossypol for sperm inhibition). Presented here are the results of a worldwide survey conducted by the Alan Guttmacher Institute (AGI) of funding for reproductive research, contraceptive development and evaluation of the long-term safety of existing methods. Requests for data on expenditures for 1980-1983 were sent by the AGI to funding agencies, R and D organizations and pharmaceutical companies in the US, Australia, Europe, India and Japan, reported to be doing contraceptive research. Detailed information was sought about fundamental research in reproductive biology, training of pre- and postdoctoral reproductive scientistis, applied research in contraceptive technology and evaluation of the safety of currently marketed contraceptives. An estimated US$154.8 million was spent in 1979 for all 3 categories of research; this amount declined by 12% in 1980. By 1983, expenditures in constant dollars were 79% of the 1979 figure. Contraceptive R and D accounted for 41% of the total expenditures during 1980-1983, fundamental for 52% and long-term contraceptive safety evaluation for 7%. The principal methods under investigation during this period were improved oral contraceptives, other ovulation inhibitors, post-ovulatory methods and pregnancy vaccines. Expenditures for contraceptive development are also presented by contributing organization (publicly supported, private industry and mission-oriented research projects). 46% of funds for evaluation of long-term safety of existing methods were spent on evaluation of oral contraceptives and 16% on the long-term risks of vasectomy. Investigations of barrier methods hardly played any part in overall research on safety in 1980 and 1981; but by 1983 these expenditures were 2nd only to those for the pill. Over the 4-year period, 63% of the funds spent on all types of research were for projects involving female reporduction, 18% for male reproduction and 19% for both.