Further constraints on research in the United states 

 are the strict controls imposed by official regulatory 

 agencies. Regulations regarding medical safety and 

 informed consent typically increase the costs and 

 lengthen the lead time from initial research to 

 ultimate development of a new contraceptive method. At 

 present the lead time is usually at least a decade. 



Proposed Initiatives 



We recommend that the United States propose 

 international support for a priority program of basic 

 biomedically oriented contraceptive research along the 

 lines recommended in the Greep report (1976), which 

 would be mutually beneficial to both developed and 

 developing countries. Contraception for the male 

 should receive significantly increased emphasis, 

 together with expanded efforts aimed at the feirale. 

 Examples include biodegradeable systems for the 

 delivery of injectable hormonal contraception, 

 immunological approaches, and reversible sterilization 

 procedures. 



U.S. institutions ready to expand basic and applied 

 research in human reproduction leading to improved 

 contraceptive technology should receive additional 

 financial support. Many of the basic studies can be 

 conducted within the United States under the research 

 programs of government institutions, foundations, and 

 industries, and the applied clinical work should be 

 conducted simultaneously in both the United States and 

 developing countries. AID*s effort in this field 

 should be expanded. Funding should also be made 

 available through the multilateral programs of WHO, the 

 U.N. Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) , etc., as 

 well as directly to developing countries through 

 bilateral arrangements with appropriate local research 

 programs. Within such a program, attention should be 

 devoted to better adaptation of existing contraceptive 

 methods to the sociocultural and institutional 

 conditions prevailing in developing countries and to 

 research and development on new methods. The siraller 

 size and body weight of populations in many developing 

 countries should be taken into consideration. Support 

 should also be provided for local manufacture, 

 assembling, packaging, distribution, and marketing 

 innovations. 



Finally, the constraints against private sector 

 investment in contraceptive research and development 

 oriented to developing countries and the efforts geared 

 to overcoming this problem should be reviewed. This 

 review should include consideration of the advantages 

 and disadvantages of business, regulatory agency, and 



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