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Creator of birth control pill Carl Djerassi passes away at 91

"The pill," as it came to be known, radically transformed sexual practices and women's lives.

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Carl Djerassi, an Austrian-born US chemist who developed the birth control pill, has passed away at the age of 91. Djerassi was also Professor Emeritus at Stanfor University. Stanford University spokesman Dan Stober said that Djerassi died of complications of cancer in his San Francisco home.

He was most famous for leading a research team in Mexico City that in 1951 developed norethindrone, a synthetic molecule that became a key component of the first birth control pill.

"Carl Djerassi was first and foremost a great scientist. Together with his colleagues, he transformed the world by making oral contraception effective," said Stanford President John Hennessy wrote in a statement. "Later in life, he became a great supporter of artists and a playwright whose plays entertained while they also educated."

"The pill," as it came to be known, radically transformed sexual practices and women's lives.

The famous chemist is now survived by a son, Dale Djerassi, a stepdaughter, Leah Middlebrook and a grandson, Alexander Djerassi. 

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