Most contraceptives are designed for people with uteruses, so there are few pregnancy prevention options for men. Now, scientists are working to create a non-hormonal birth control pill for men that has already proven effective in lab tests on rodents. According to the researchers, human trials could begin in late 2022.
The onerous responsibility of contraception
There are many options for contraception, but most are only available to women and can cause enormous side effects. In contrast, for men, there are exactly two forms of birth control: the condom and sterilization.
That’s why it’s usually women who bear the main responsibility for contraception and have to deal with the side effects of contraceptives. But that could soon change.
The male pill as a new contraceptive
The new pill, developed at the University of Minnesota, blocks proteins from binding to vitamin A, which is known to be critical to mammalian fertility and potency. The drug was 99 percent effective in preventing pregnancy in mice and produced no apparent side effects.
In the study, the researchers found that mice given the drug orally for only four weeks had their sperm counts decreased so much that they became sterile. When administration of the drug was stopped, the effect of the drug actually reversed: the mice regained their normal potency within four to six weeks.
Depending on the outcome of the human tests, the drug could soon be the first effective contraceptive method for men and people with testicles, apart from condoms or sterilization.
Fewer side effects than the female pill
Because the contraceptive is non-hormonal, it also has fewer side effects. Previous trials of male birth control pills have largely worked by blocking testosterone, which can lead to depression, weight gain and decreased libido.
The researchers emphasize that the drug’s success in rodents does not guarantee the same result in humans, of course, which is why the scientists will closely analyze the human clinical trials.