The role of advocacy in sustaining male contraceptive research and development

Abstract

Novel male contraceptives have been in development for well over half a century, and despite a robust predicted global market for new methods, funding for research and development has been extremely limited. While the pharmaceutical industry previously supported male contraceptive research and development, industry partners are only spectators in the current space, awaiting a product that has been de-risked by the public sector before re-entering the field. Current male contraceptive development efforts are thus primarily funded by nonprofit, non-governmental, and government agencies who also act as the primary advocates for the field. Specific organizations include the International Consortium on Male Contraception, the Population Council, the Male Contraceptive Initiative, the World Health Organization, and the US National Institutes of Health. The funding provided by these public agencies, alongside their social and policy-based advocacy efforts such as market research, public education, and calls to action have kept the male contraceptive product development space afloat, resulting in a pipeline of potential products advancing towards market approval. However, as these products mature into more expensive clinical stages of development, they continue to face significant funding challenges, which many programs may not overcome. To fully realize the benefits of novel male contraceptive options, it is incumbent on philanthropic entities, impact investors, venture capital, and/or the pharmaceutical sector to provide significant and timely support for male contraceptive research and development.

Keywords: impact investing; innovation; male contraception; reproduction; reproductive autonomy; unintended pregnancy.