1. Provide the title of your story or series and the names of the journalists involved.
"Load Warriors" by Vernal Coleman.
2. List date(s) this work was published or aired.
March 24, 2010
3. Provide a brief synopsis of the story or stories, including any significant findings.
Fifty years of research and experimentation haven't yielded much in the way of a solution for the scientists working to create a male version of the birth control pill. But that hasn't kept University of Washington professor John Amory from trying. At the University's Center for Reproduction and Contraception, Amory and his small team of researchers work to engineer a viable birth control option for men that's less invasive than condoms or vasectomy. The stakes of this global race are high. A widely accepted solution could help curb the global rate of infanticide and poverty. And given recent breakthroughs, Amory and company may be leading. The Centers most promising projects include a gel that when applied daily reduces sperm production to zero. But even as scientists around the world work to create a viable product, questions linger over whether men would buy it. Among the doubters are many of the major pharmaceutical companies, the gatekeepers whose buy-in is integral to bringing any new male birth control product to market.
4. Explain types of documents, data or Internet resources used. Were FOI or public records act requests required? How did this affect the work?
The article was written with the aid of archived research documents on experiments conducted by the University of Washington in the early days of contraceptive research, various scientific surveys on men's willingness to take a birth control pill, and published research studies exploring questions of why a male pill has yet to be brought to the global market.
5. Explain types of human sources used.
Interviews were conducted with scientists working at the contraceptive research centers in both the U.S. and abroad.
6. Results (if any).
N/a.
7. Follow-up (if any). Have you run a correction or clarification on the report or has anyone come forward to challenge its accuracy? If so, please explain.
No.
8. Advice to other journalists planning a similar story or project.
To write an article of this length, the area of the research needs to be compelling enough to keep the readers attention. After you've identified it, cast a wide net in searching out people who can provide insight into the topic. Chances are that there are scientists across the world working in that same field of research who could provide a different perspective.