WHY IS CONTRACEPTION mainly a female responsibility? In 1960, a hormonal contraceptive, the birth control pill, was introduced. This gave women reproductive freedom and an effective way to plan a family. Since then, more options have arrived such as different pill formulations; hormonal implants, patches and vaginal rings; IUDs and barrier methods.
But over the last 60 years, men have only two choices, condoms or vasectomies. Both have their problems. Condoms, their relatively high failure rate (as high as 12 percent); vasectomies, their permanency. Neither gave men the same level of fertility control as options for women.
Novel forms of male birth control are certainly needed. Although fear of permanent infertility has made some men cautious of trying a male birth control, surveys show a big portion of men want new contraceptives.
In a survey of more than 15,000 men in seven countries, the vast majority of respondents in each country said they would be willing to try a novel male contraceptive.
New options could arrive soon. Scientists are getting close to at least two fertility-controlling, nonpermanent male contraceptive, which could enter pharmacies within five to 10 years. Research looks promising for a daily hormonal gel called NES/T that suppresses sperm production and for an injectable gel called ADAM that blocks the path of sperm transmission. Other options, including drugs that work for just a few hours at a time, are also in development.
Concerns around side effects are partly what’s causing delays in male contraceptive development. For men who don’t want to take a drug that interferes with their hormones or sperm production, another option is a physical barrier that blocks sperm transmission. In development are occlusion gels. A doctor injects a hydrogel into the vas deferens, the 30-cm-long tube that transports sperm from the testicles to ejaculatory ducts. In the body, the hydrogel changes into a thick, semisolid substance that acts like a dam to keep sperm out of semen during ejaculation. It’s similar to a vasectomy, but doesn’t require cutting the vas deferens.
Preconceived notions about male birth control plus the regulatory challenges have contributed to why pharmaceutical companies are not rushing to develop male contraceptives.
The best-case scenario, experts say, is that an occlusion gel gets approval within five years, and a hormonal contraceptive follows a few years later. If so, it would be the first new male contraceptives to reach the marketplace since goat-bladder condoms were used 5,000 years ago. It is really about time! By Manny Palomar, PhD (EV Mail SEPTEMBER 1-7, 2025 Issue)
