The BBC reports that sexual health clinics in schools could cut teenage pregnancy and infection rates. "Researchers surveyed teenagers who visited clinics set up in 15 schools and pupil referral units in Bristol" that served 12,000 pupils during the two-year pilot period. "Many of those quizzed admitted they probably would not have bothered seeking help if the service had not been on-site," and remarkably, 48% of those who made appointments were male. The medical director highlights the importance of taking services to those in need: "Many young men find it difficult to go into what they see to be a contraception clinic. This service offers far more than that and is easily accessible."
School sex clinics prove popular
BBC, 12 June
This month the national Office of Family Planning, which administers the Title X regions, announced a new opportunity to broaden our understanding of how best to reach men for reproductive health services.
"The Office of Population Affairs (OPA), Office of Family Planning (OFP) announces the availability of funds for cooperative agreements to coordinate and participate in a multi-site research study testing a comprehensive family planning service delivery model for males. The purpose of this cooperative agreement is to test a comprehensive service delivery model and evaluate its effectiveness and replicability in Title X clinics. This current research announcement is based in-part on past approaches and theories developed during previous research grant periods. Five cooperative agreements will be awarded to participating study sites where the models will be tested; one cooperative agreement will be awarded to a study coordinating center… Any public or private nonprofit entity currently providing family planning and related reproductive health clinical services located in a State" is eligible to apply for this grant. Submit a letter of intent as soon as possible, and no later than July 11th.
To learn more, read the full 2008 Announcement of Availability of Funds for Male Family Planning Research Cooperative Agreements. To apply for the grant online, use CDFA number 93.974 at Grants.gov.
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There's a new funding oppotunity on the contraceptive development horizon, too. The Gates Foundation’s Global Health Program introduced its new Reproductive and Maternal Health strategy at several conferences last month – the 35th Annual International Global Health Conference in Washington, DC, and the 9th Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition membership meeting in Brussels, Belguim. We're excited to report that the development of new contraceptive technologies is now included in their list of grantmaking priorities. The Foundation’s website describes this priority as “improving contraceptive methods through the discovery, development, and clinical testing of methods that are more acceptable to potential users, easier to use, more effective, and better suited for use in resource-limited settings.”
More news on the Foundation’s work in this area to come...
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This month a reseacher in the field published a comprehensive review of the many emerging approaches toward male contraception. “It is apparent that the scientific community in the past few decades has witnessed impressive progress in understanding the basics of male physiology, the knowledge necessary for developing new contraceptive methods for men… The diverse approaches that are at various stages of development and/or in clinical trials include: 1) administration of hormones, herbal extracts or chemicals to suppress/arrest sperm production in the testes (spermatogenesis); 2) interference with the delivery of spermatozoa during ejaculation by targeted blockage of vas deferens with plugs or chemicals (polymers) that prevent flow of sperm through the vas duct; 3) active or passive immunization of males with well characterized antigens/antibodies which are intended to block sperm function; and 4) administration of site-directed antagonists to block specific sperm function(s) necessary for normal fertilization.”
Male contraception: an overview of the potential target events.
Tulsiani DR, Abou-Haila A.
Endocr Metab Immune Disord Drug Targets. 2008 Jun;8(2):122-31.
PMID: 18537698
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College students react to the idea of a male Pill and reflect on how it would play into safer sex decisions. One female student: "If I was with a guy for a while then I would consider using the male
birth control pill without condoms. But if a random stranger said he was on the pill, I'd be like, '[forget] that.'"
Students skeptical on male birth control pill
The Northeastern News, 18 June
The wide variety of expectations and needs reminds us of the importance of a range of contraceptive options for men and women planning their families.
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MCC Director Kirsten Thompson will be presenting a poster of recent findings on men's interest in emerging male contraceptives at the September ARHP conference. If you plan to attend, come say hello!
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Editors
Elaine Lissner, Director of the Male Contraception Information Project (MCIP)
Email: info@NewMaleContraception.org
MCIP is entirely nonprofit and works in three areas: raising public awareness of promising nonhormonal male contraceptives, advocating increased and expedited government research, and serving as a resource for journalists who wish to write about the subject.
Kirsten Thompson, Director of the Male Contraception Coalition (MCC)
Email: info@MaleContraceptives.org
The Coalition’s objectives are to speed the development of new male contraceptives through increased legislative and institutional support, to raise funds for applied male contraception research and development, and to educate the public about the work of the research community.
