Sharing The Burdens Of Birth Control

Women are good and ready to give up the burden of contraception and most men are willing to do their share, according to a new survey.

Dr. Richard Anderson's team, from Britain's Medical Research Council, found up to two-thirds of men surveyed would be willing to take a pill or a shot, reports CBS News Correspondent Kimberly Dozier.

"There was really a very high acceptance of a male contraceptive, and a surprisingly large number of men indicated that they would at least consider using it, particularly in Edinburgh and Cape Town," Anderson told CBS News.

Anderson's Edinburgh-based team from Britain's Medical Research Council surveyed 2,000 men and 2,000 women in Edinburgh, Cape Town, Hong Kong and Shanghai.

"The Chinese men were a little bit more conservative about things...but still a high proportion were in favor of it."

Women were even more in favor, with about eighty percent saying yes to male birth control.

"The main reason was that they felt that they really were carrying all the burden of contraception, and really it was about time someone else did something," Dr. Anderson said.

But first, it's the drug companies that have to do something. He says they've shied away from this research, but hopes the survey might convince them, "that there really is a market out there, and that it's not a complete White Elephant."

"Clearly, there is a lot of sharing of responsibility that people would like to take," Dr. Anderson adds. "There aren't the products out there to help people do this."

And even if the companies kick their existing test programs into overdrive, he says, it will still be five to ten years before men can take their own medicine.

By Kimberly Dozier
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