Looking for Mrs. McCormick

The Looking for Mrs. McCormick Fund Raising Drive is inspired by the story of Mrs. Katharine McCormick, a wealthy philanthropist who used her own resources in 1951 to commission a set of eminent scientists to create a safe, effective and easy to use oral contracepti

ve pill. After she and Margaret Sanger failed to persuade pharmaceutical companies of its importance for women, Mrs. McCormick took matters into her own hands and funded early research into the modern-day Pill. One of the most revolutionary health inventions of the century emerged not from the pharmaceutical industry, but from the vision and perseverance of two remarkable women.

Today, we stand at a similar crossroads. Women are up to six times more likely to contract HIV from a single unprotected act, yet lack a protective technology which they can control. Microbicides - a desperately-needed new category of products - will empower women with unprecedented ability to protect themselves from STIs and HIV. Topical microbicides hold great promise for revolutionising women's sexual and reproductive health, and in many cases saving their lives. We are looking for Mrs. McCormicks of the new millennium - visionary women and men who will make a stand for sexual health and provide the critical funding that will advance science and make microbicides a reality.

How you can help..

Read the McCormick Story

Meet our first "Mrs. McCormick"

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to expand research into microbicides

Global Campaign for Microbicides

Looking for Mrs. McCormick

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