Introduction to Population Council Symposium articles.

The contents of this issue include several manuscripts of papers presented at a Symposium organized by the International Committee for Contraception Research (ICCR) of the Population Council, as a tribute to C. Wayne Bardin, M.D., Ph.D., who has inspired and led the research and development of new contraceptives in his role of Vice President of the Center of Biomedical Research of the Population Council and as a chairperson of the ICCR from 1978 to 1996. His vision and leadership led to the initiation of comprehensive research in male contraception, a neglected field and an obvious unmet need for couples of reproductive age. He trained a new generation of scientists in the field of Reproductive Endocrinology who have pursued the mission of the Population Council both in the United States and abroad in developed and less developed countries. He has also developed and achieved Food and Drug Administration approval for Paragard®, Norplant® and Jadelle®, major long-acting methods of contraception as well as mifepristone, a unique molecule with several indications in the field of gynecology. The ICCR, which was created by Dr. Sheldon Segal and then led by Dr. C. Wayne Bardin, has been instrumental in generating new concepts and developing new contraceptive technology. Thanks to the collaboration between the Council research laboratories and the clinical network of the ICCR, the Population Council has been a pioneer in developing long-acting contraceptive methods that are now used by millions of women worldwide such as Norplant®, Jadelle®, Mirena®, Paragard® and Progering®. In spite of advances in contraception, many couples of reproductive age who would prefer to avoid pregnancy do not use contraception, and millions of unintended pregnan-