Male Contraceptive Initiative

Men are interested in contraceptive methods for them and women will trust male partners to use birth control.

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Sections:

Male Interest
Male CT Options Desired
Female Partner Trust
mCPR Impact
Who Wants Which Method?

Findings from this nationally/regionally representative study show that there is significant interest for novel male contraceptives among men and women. Men have interest in trying a new male contraceptive within a year of its availability, and higher interest in trying a new male contraceptive at some point. Female partners surveyed have high trust in men taking contraception, and have high interest in male partners taking contraception.

Men's Interest in Male CT

There is high interest in new Male Contraceptive Technologies across all of the markets assessed, with the high interest from participants in Bangladesh and Nigeria to use a novel male birth control method within its first year of approval and 2 in 5 (~40%) of men in the United States indicating that they would try a new Male CT within a year.

Study Results: Men's Interest in Novel Male Birth Control Methods

Researchers re-engaged with participants based in the United States to ascertain whether or not the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization (2022) had any impact on interest in male contraceptives. The researchers found that Post-Dobbs decision the reproductive rights landscape in the United States has resulted in an additional 4% of men willing to use novel Male CTs “ever”, and now about half (49%) within 12 months of availability.

Study Results: U.S. Men's Interest in Novel Male Birth Control Methods (Pre- vs. Post-Dobbs Decision)

Male Contraceptive Technology Options Desired

Participants’ interests in different options of novel methods of male contraceptive technologies were largely driven by form (i.e., how the product is taken/used), with less invasive options preferred across all markets. STI protection increases the likelihood of trying a new male CT in all countries, but especially in Nigeria and the DR Congo. Effectiveness rates of 95% - 99% increase the odds of trying a new male CT across all countries, especially in Vietnam, though there is no significant difference between 95% and 99% effectiveness.

Study Results: Men's Preferences Novel Male Birth Control Methods (Product Attributes)

Study Results: Men's Preferences Novel Male Birth Control Methods (Product Forms)

Study Results: Men's Preferences Novel Male Birth Control Methods (STI Protection)

Study Results: Men's Preferences Novel Male Birth Control Methods (Effectiveness)

Female Partner Trust

Female partners in every market express a level of trust in their male counterparts to be responsible for taking birth control, ranging from around 50% (as in the case of the Democratic Republic of Congo) to 86% (as in the case of Vietnam). Outside of females in Kenya, more than half of all respondents in the markets surveyed would be willing to try a novel male birth control method within a year of it being introduced. There is significant opportunity for contraceptive layering as well, with many of respondents indicating they would like a contraceptive method for themselves irrespective of what their partner is using vis-a-vis birth control.

Study Results: Female Trust in Male Partner Birth Control Use

Study Results: Male & Female Interest in Novel Male Birth Control Methods

Study Results: Potential for Contraceptive Layering

mCPR Impact

Forecasted demand for novel male contraceptive technologies is substantial within one year. On-demand methods lead across all markets except in Bangladesh, where a vas-occlusive hydrogel option dominates. A majority of couples surveyed are not currently covered with consistent mCP use (except in Kenya, Vietnam, and Bangladesh) and there is substantial likely use of Male CTs estimated among current non-users of mCPs and very inconsistent condom users.

Study Results: Forecasted Demand for Novel Male Contraceptive Technologies

Study Results: Couples' Reported Current Modern Contraceptive Use

Study Results: Potential Uptake & Impact of Novel Male CTs

Considerations for Modeling Uptake of Male CTs:

Goals:
- Estimate likely actual uptake if Male CTs are made available via development of a probability model
- Estimate likely incremental mCP use among couples currently not using modern methods or relying on condoms with very inconsistent use
- Inform modeling on contribution to averting unintended pregnancies that Male CTs could contribute
Considerations:
- Raw stated likelihood to uptake research results in survey context provide overstated uptake estimations
- Discounting of overstatement is necessary to provide better probability estimates for likely actual uptake
- This approach to demand forecasting is standard practice for commercial pharmaceutical companies to assess demand and volumetrically forecast potential for target product profiles (TPPs)

Modeling Estimates for Male CT Uptake - Methodology:

In addition to asking what men want, if anything, for male contraception, we also asked them how soon they would use what they want after it becomes available
- Time to uptake results indicate a level of interest and urgency vs. not, which can be used to discount stated preference
This assessment focuses on main forms of administration and time of use in development and models assume all methods listed are available and competing in the markets
Five forms/times of use were assessed: (i) On-demand pill (ii) On-demand gel (iii) Daily pill (iv) Daily dermal gel (v) Vas-occlusive gel and the willingness to try these methods within 12 months was considered to discount for the stated preference
Mutually exclusive categories of couple-level main method currently used were defined using our data (details in annex slide 47): (i) mCP use (excluding condoms) (ii) Consistent Condom use (iii) Inconsistent condom use (iv) Very inconsistent condom use (v) no mCP method. Breakdown of condom use was done to nuance consistency of use (details on annex slide 48)
Among the no mCP users and inconsistent condom users, the willingness to try the five new male methods within 12 months of its introduction was computed to identify % incremental increased use of mCPs with Male CTs

Key limitation: Estimates uptake (trial); cannot account for ongoing usage (retention). Usage trials or analog assumptions are required to account for discontinuation rates.

Who Wants Which Male CT Option?

In analyzing results from the international market research study, there emerged six distinct psycho-behavioral preference segments of users across the participant countries: Enthusiasts, Daily Dosers, Moderates, Hedonists, Conservatives, and Rejectors.

Study Results: Psycho-behavioral Preference Segmentation

Segment Descriptions:

Enthusiasts
The most keen to try new male CT; more likely to commit to a daily pill; though they are also quite happy with condoms and most willing to consider vasectomy in the future; tend to have the most frequent sex and sex partners than all other segments.

Daily Dosers
Men who tend to prefer daily pill or gel; these men are most averse to condoms, and they tend to prefer daily dosing over on-demand even in new forms that are not condoms (except Vietnam); they accept most new methods of action, have the most kids, and most likely to have had only one sex partner in past 12 months.

Moderates
Men who tend to prefer on-demand gel; they are moderately satisfied with the current option of condoms, but also willing to try new male CT; they have moderate frequency of sex, and fewer kids than average.

Hedonists
Men who tend to prefer an on-demand pill; though they are also quite happy with condoms; they are willing to try male CT only if it is easy and painless; they tend to have more sex partners than all other segments, but not the highest frequency of sex; fewer kids than average.

Conservatives
Men who tend to have less frequent sex, fewer kids and fewer sex partners than other segments; they are moderately satisfied with the current option of condoms, and not so keen on new male CT.

Rejectors
Men who are happy with the status quo and least keen on new male CT, most likely to reject new methods of action, as well as current options of condoms and vasectomy; they have more kids than other segments and tend to have more frequent sex than other segments except Enthusiasts.

Segmentation Methodology:

Segmentation was carried out to identify the groups/clusters of men with similar preferences and individual characteristics/attitudes
Segments were created across countries such that they are relevant over a long-term horizon (in the next 10-20 years when the products become available)
Latent class analysis was used to cluster men into 6 segments. These segments were defined based on a number of variables including: mix of product attribute preferences mainly form of administration and frequency of dosing, as well as how soon a man would use a male CT when made available, reception vs. rejection of new mechanisms of action for male CT, whether they want to be involved in CT and also incorporated key variables describing who they are like frequency of sex, number of sex partners in last 12 months, number of children they have, satisfaction with condoms, likelihood of getting vasectomy, etc.