For decades, scientists have been trying to develop a male contraceptive similar to the birth control pill that can be taken orally and is reversible, with minimal side effects. An oral male contraceptive could also be a more effective alternative to using a condom or undergoing surgery for a vasectomy, while helping to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies which account for nearly half of all pregnancies worldwide. 

Wei Yan is a professor and director of the Center for Reproductive Biology and the School of Molecular Biosciences at Washington State University who has spent two decades in the quest to develop a male contraceptive pill. His current investigation involves a compound derived from an herb used in traditional Chinese medicine that is showing encouraging lab results. In a commentary he recently wrote for an academic journal, he argues that the development of a new male contraceptive needs to be reframed as a “women’s health priority” that would allow reproductive responsibility to be more equitably shared. 

Yan joins us to share his perspective, the status of his own research efforts and the funding landscape to advance this work.