Because of a lapse in government funding, the information on this website may not be up to date, transactions submitted via the website may not be processed, and the agency may not be able to respond to inquiries until appropriations are enacted.

The NIH Clinical Center (the research hospital of NIH) is open. For more details about its operating status, please visit cc.nih.gov.

Updates regarding government operating status and resumption of normal operations can be found at OPM.gov.

CRB Research Programs

The following information describes the branch’s research programs and program areas.

Contraception Research and Development

Program Officials: Daniel S. Johnston, Leigh Allen, Steven C. Kaufman, and Christopher C. Lindsey

CRB’s goal is to promote contraceptive research and development to prevent or reduce unintended pregnancies by:

  • Developing new male and female contraceptive methods
  • Supporting research that may lead to new methods for inhibiting spermatogenesis, sperm maturation, sperm transport and motility, ovulation and fertilization
  • Conducting experimental contraceptive studies in animals and humans
  • Supporting research directed at multi-purpose prevention technologies and on-demand contraception

Contraceptive research and development are critical for providing safer, more effective methods of preventing unintended pregnancies. Although numerous contraceptive methods are currently available, approximately half of all pregnancies in the United States are unintended. Having more contraceptive methods available that meet the diverse needs of individuals of different ethnicities, cultures, and values would be ideal.

The branch uses a variety of funding mechanisms to promote contraceptive research and development, including grants and contracts.

Selected new contraceptive leads move forward with assistance from one of the branch’s support contractors. A Chemical Screening and Optimization Facility assists investigators in pursuing integrated structure-based drug design/discovery and optimization, encompassing screening, structural biology, modeling, and synthesis. A Biological Testing Facility assists investigators in pursuing testing of biological activity, pharmacology, and toxicology of compounds of interest for potential advancement to the clinic.

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