There hasn't been much innovation in women's birth control since the pill came to market nearly 60 years ago — because drug companies don't stand to make much from it, Bloomberg reports.
Where it stands: Only 2% of drug companies' annual revenue from contraceptives goes back into research and development, according to the Gates Foundation.
- That's about $100 million, or less than a sixth of what may be spent to bring one cancer drug to market.
How it works: “The pill is as cheap as chips,” Anna Glasier, honorary professor at the University of Edinburgh, told Bloomberg. “So everything has to be not much more expensive than that.”
Go deeper: Federal judge blocks Trump birth control rules in 13 states
