Markus Steiner

Background

About Markus Steiner

Markus J. Steiner, PhD, MSPH, a Senior Epidemiologist, has worked at FHI 360 for the past 30 years focusing on: 1) barrier method acceptability and functionality studies; 2) methods to evaluate validity of self-reported behaviors using bio-markers; 3) contraceptive effectiveness trials; 4) contraceptive costing; and 5) evaluating approaches of communicating contraceptive effectiveness to clients and providers. This wide-ranging research portfolio has resulted in normative guideline changes at WHO (extending the DMPA reinjection window), a paradigm shift to tiered contraceptive effectiveness counseling, and the adoption of global condom use instructions. Dr. Steiner’s collaborative research findings have been published in over 100 peer-reviewed articles. He serves as a reviewer for scientific journals including JAMA, American Journal of Public Health, Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Obstetrics & Gynecology. In 2001 he was named adjunct professor in the Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he received his PhD in reproductive epidemiology in Most recently, he led a $18 million, multi-year Bill & Melinda Gates-funded initiative to provide technical assistance to a manufacturer of a low-cost contraceptive implant in China. Activities included setting up a global regulatory and distribution platform; negotiating and implementing price ceiling agreements; conducting GCP compliant trials (The Dominican Republic and China) for WHO prequalification in June 2017; providing cGMP and CMC support to the manufacturing facility to meet WHO standards; implementing surveillance studies in four countries (Bangladesh, Kenya, Madagascar and Pakistan); and developing a disposable trocar and obtaining a CE Mark based on clinical data from Kenya. This effort resulted in regulatory approvals in over 20 countries and the distribution of 2.5 million Sino-implant (II) across Asia, Africa and Latin America. The estimated public health impact of women using these implants is 3.3 million pregnancies, maternal deaths and 1.3 million abortions averted, and commodity cost-savings of approximately US$10.5 million. Moreover, the public health impact of the use of 2.5 million implants translates into $143 million total health care costs saved.