Society of Family Planning

Society of Family Planning
Name	Society of Family Planning
Abbreviation	SFP
Formation	2005
Headquarters	San Francisco, California
Type	Professional association
Purpose	Clinical research, education, advocacy in reproductive health
Leader title	President

Contents

Society of Family Planning is a professional association focused on clinical research, education, and policy related to abortion care, contraception, and reproductive health. The organization connects clinicians, researchers, and educators across institutions such as Johns Hopkins Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, and University of Michigan Health System to advance evidence-based practice. It partners with foundations and nonprofits including the Guttmacher Institute, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Kaiser Family Foundation, and Ford Foundation to support research, training, and dissemination.

History

The Society’s mission emphasizes rigorous clinical investigation and translation into practice, aligning with clinical centers like Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic, Duke University Hospital, Johns Hopkins Hospital Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, and Oregon Health & Science University. Its activity portfolio includes sponsoring multicenter trials in collaboration with networks such as Network for Excellence in Health Innovation, Clinical and Translational Science Awards Program, Global Health Innovative Technology Fund, and coordinating with public agencies like Food and Drug Administration and World Health Organization. Membership comprises clinicians and researchers from American Medical Association, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, European Society of Contraception and Reproductive Health, and international partners including Médecins Sans Frontières, PATH, and International Planned Parenthood Federation.

The Society supports peer-reviewed research and produces clinical guidance, collaborating with journals and publishers like The Lancet, New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, BMJ, Contraception (journal), Obstetrics & Gynecology (The Green Journal), American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, Annals of Internal Medicine, and PLOS Medicine. It funds randomized controlled trials, observational cohorts, and implementation science projects involving institutions such as University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Emory University School of Medicine, University of Chicago Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Outputs include systematic reviews referencing organizations like Cochrane Collaboration, guideline development with National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and methodological contributions intersecting with Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality standards.

Educational programs encompass fellowship and mentorship models linked to academic centers like University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, and Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Training modalities include simulation workshops, hands-on clinical training, and online curricula delivered with platforms and partners such as Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, Association of American Medical Colleges, American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Council on Resident Education in Obstetrics and Gynecology, and global collaborators including WHO Academy and UNICEF technical teams. The Society administers grants and career development awards modeled after programs by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, and Fogarty International Center.

The organization engages in policy analysis and public communication on issues related to reproductive health, interacting with policymakers and institutions such as United States Congress, Supreme Court of the United States, United States Department of Health and Human Services, European Commission, World Health Organization, and advocacy partners including Alliance for Reproductive Health Champions, Center for Reproductive Rights, American Civil Liberties Union, and Human Rights Watch. It issues amicus briefs and expert statements during cases and regulatory processes involving Food and Drug Administration approvals, state-level legislatures like the California State Legislature and Texas Legislature, and ballot measures similar to those seen in Ohio ballot measures or Colorado initiatives. Public engagement includes collaboration with media outlets and professional communications through organizations such as American Journalists Association and Reuters.

Governance includes an elected board of directors, scientific committees, and advisory councils drawing members from universities, hospitals, and research institutes including Georgetown University Medical Center, Temple University Health System, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Oregon Health & Science University, University of Minnesota Medical School, and think tanks like Kaiser Family Foundation. Funding and oversight interact with grantors and regulatory entities such as National Institutes of Health, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Office of Population Affairs, and private philanthropies including Rockefeller Foundation and Ford Foundation. The Society’s legal and administrative operations engage with corporate service providers and nonprofit compliance frameworks exemplified by filings with state attorneys general and adherence to standards promoted by Council on Foundations.

Category:Medical organizations