The breakthrough in 1951 became the basis of some of the first pills to prevent pregnancy. (Reuters) - Carl Djerassi, an Austrian-born chemist who helped to develop the birth control pill before becoming a playwright and novelist, died in San Francisco on Friday at the age of 91, his family said. Djerassi was awarded the National Medal of Science in 1973 for his contribution to the new form of contraceptive. Egregious commenters or repeat offenders will be banned from commenting. Today's birth-control pills are chemically related to his original, says Djerassi The father of the oral contraceptive pill, Carl Djerassi, was born in 1923 into a Jewish family in Vienna, Austria. 'For the last 50 years, the leitmotif was contraception,' says Carl Djerassi, inventor of the contraceptive pill. Carl Djerassi, an Austrian-born chemist who helped to develop the birth control pill before becoming a playwright and novelist, died in San Francisco on Friday at the age of 91, his family said. 'The present 50 years, it's conception.' While we generally do not seek to edit or actively moderate comments, our spam filter prevents most links and certain key words from being posted and the Forward reserves the right to remove comments for any reason. You can change your choices at any time by visiting Your Privacy Controls. “I’m sick and tired of talking about the pill,” Djerassi told the San Francisco Chronicle in an interview four months ago at his flat in the Russian Hill neighborhood. In the interest of maintaining a civil forum, The Forward requires that all commenters be appropriately respectful toward our writers, other commenters and the subjects of the articles. (Reuters) - Carl Djerassi, an Austrian-born chemist who helped to develop the birth control pill before becoming a playwright and novelist, died in San Francisco on Friday at the age of 91, his family said. Djerassi, professor emeritus at Stanford University, was the leader of a team of researchers Born in Austria, his family fled the country when the Nazis came to power, moving first to Bulgaria then to the United States. Vigorous debate and reasoned critique are welcome; name-calling and personal invective are not and will be deleted. Djerassi was a widower and is survived by his son, stepdaughter and grandson. All readers can browse the comments, and all Forward subscribers can add to the conversation. But by the time of his death Djerassi had left science behind and was well into his second career as a novelist and playwright. Carl Djerassi, father of birth control pill passes away. Djerassi was awarded the National Medal of Science in 1973 for his contribution to the new form of contraceptive. Obituary: Chemist famous for synthesis of first oral contraceptive leaves behind scientific and artistic legacy “The pill” as it became known in popular culture has been credited with fueling a radical shift in sexual mores and changing the role of women in Western society. Yahoo is part of Verizon Media. In 1942/43, Djerassi worked for CIBA in New Jersey, developing Pyribenzamine (tripelennamine), his first patent and one of the first commercial antihistamines. We and our partners will store and/or access information on your device through the use of cookies and similar technologies, to display personalised ads and content, for ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Beginning in the 1980s, he wrote about 20 books including “This Man’s Pill”, a memoir, and novels such as “Cantor’s Dilemma”. Djerrasi died of complications of cancer in his San Francisco home, Stanford University spokesm “The pill” as it became known in popular culture has been credited with fueling a radical shift in sexual mores and changing the role of women in Western society. All readers can browse the comments, and all Forward subscribers can add to the conversation. Vigorous debate and reasoned critique are welcome; name-calling and personal invective are not and will be deleted.

Part of the inspiration for founding the Woodside retreat was the death of his artist daughter in 1978.