This blog post is by Brittany Chambers, a 2020 MCI intern from North Carolina Central University.

In the words of Pablo Picasso: “There is only one way to look at things, until someone shows us how to look at them with different eyes.” This quote exemplifies my experience in my internship at Male Contraceptive Initiative (MCI) because it made me take a moment to realize the value of picturing yourself if you were in someone else’s shoes.

​Nearly half of all pregnancies worldwide are unintended and current options do not meet the needs of users desiring contraception, specifically with respect to male methods which are still limited to condoms and vasectomy. Despite this, there has been little progress in the development of new male contraceptives for the past half century. This is largely due to limited funding and, by extension, limited human resources working to address this shortfall. The progress that has been made to date is thanks to the tireless efforts of a small group of passionate scientists and advocates.