Reboot contraceptives research — it has been stuck for decades

Hormonal methods and non-hormonal IUDs can have side effects, including irregular or unpredictable menstrual bleeding, headaches, acne and weight gain, as well as depression and other mood changes4 . Early analysis suggests that a range of side effects would lead respondents to stop using a method, especially changes to mood, physical changes such as acne, weight gains of 2-4.5 kilograms, loss of hair and lowered sex drive. An oral contraceptive introduced in 2011, Lo Loestrin, which offers the lowest amount of daily oestrogen available (with the potential for fewer side effects than for those of related products), captured a significant share of the market9 and net revenues have seen double-digit growth over time. According to ClinicalTrials. gov, there have been 20-25 industry-funded clinical trials between 2017 and 2020.