INTERNATIONAL FERTILITY RESEARCH PROGRAM (IFRP)

IFRP will provide a mechanism, through development of standardized data collection instruments, study protocols, instruction manuals, computer programs, and an international network of more than 250 contributor physicians in over 30 countries, for research testing and evaluating innovations in the areas of pregnancy termination, menstrual regulation, intrauterine devices, male and female sterilization, and systemic contraceptives. Program activities peripheral to the pure test and evaluation operations include research to bring promising new clinical methods to the clinical study stage, training of collaborating investigators in newer fertility control techniques in preparation for overseas clinical trials, development of records systems to evaluate clinic and community-based family planning programs, and improving research information training, coordination, and dissemination services. IFRP will be managed through continuing dialogue with contributing physicians, organized training programs, site visits, and contributor conferences. The IFRP will serve as the field trials coordinator for a number of AID-sponsored fertility control research projects, and CPC will therefore be collaborating with various other contractors, including the Battelle Memorial Institute, Johns Hopkins University, and the Population Information Program of George Washington University. The Scaife Family Charitable Trust will also contribute a small amount of funds for the IFRP. Project beneficiaries will be A.I.D. and LDC"s, who can use the continued flow of information from the IFRP to make family planning program decisions that result in improved family planning services. Project statement of 12/10/76 (PD-AAG-272-A1) incorporates contract amendments extending project life five years until 6/82 with an increase in funding of $39 million and allowing IFRP to establish and fund regional fertility research programs in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The statement also indicates that A.I.D. and UNC agreed in 2/75 to separate the CPC from UNC and establish it as an independent non-profit institution, International Fertility Research Programme, Inc. A second update statement of 2/4/77 (PD-AAG-272-D1) contains a request for an additional $39 million in funds and an extension of the project"s life five years, in addition to a summary and progress report of IFRP. A third project statement of 1/31/78 (PD-AAG-273-A1) extends the project"s life for three years, requests $11 million of additional funds, decreases the number of active Research Centers to 55, tightens the IFRP organizational structure, reevaluates ongoing studies, and implements more complex study designs. A project paper of 7/5/78 (PD-AAG-271-B1) consolidates information presented in earlier design documents (PD-AAG-271-F1, PD-AAG-272-A1). A final project statement of 1/15/81 (PD-AAG-271-B1) contains amendments to extend the project five years through FY 1985, increase funding by $21 million, develop clinical studies evaluating the safety of existing and new contraceptive methods, investigate the cultural taboos and laws which may prevent the use of contraceptives in LDC"s, and develop new contraceptive methods.