Could a new birth control pill intended for males possibly hit the market soon? Scientists are optimistic after a test run on mice proved the new contraceptive to be quite effective in mice. And, if all goes well, it just might be the pill to relieve several people from the burden of having to choose less preferred methods of contraception.
A team of scientists has revealed that a non-hormonal male contraceptive pill proved to be 99% effective after it significantly reduced the amount of sperm in mice without any side effects. Their findings, which will soon be presented at the American Chemical Society spring meeting, may lead to the pill going into human trials by the end of 2022. The results of the team's study bring significant hope to many people who resort to other, less preferred methods of contraception, such as hormonal pills for women or vasectomies for men.
Since the invention of the female birth control pill, researchers have worked to find an equivalent for males. "Multiple studies showed that men are interested in sharing the responsibility of birth control with their partners," said Abdullah Al Noman, a graduate student at the University of Minnesota who will present the findings of the recent study. "Multiple studies showed that men are interested in sharing the responsibility of birth control with their partners," he continued. However, the only two options until now have been condoms and vasectomies. Reversal surgeries for those who have undergone vasectomies are unfortunately expensive and not always successful. On the other hand, though widely used among females across the world, the female contraceptive pill is known to have potential risks and side effects that some would rather avoid. These include disruptions in the menstrual cycle, caused by hormones, as well as more dangerous side effects, such as blood-clotting risks.
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The team of scientists who conducted the study has expressed their hopes in beginning human clinical trials by the second half of 2022. However, the team remains unsure about what results to expect. Dr, Georg, head of the medicinal chemistry department at the University of Minnesota, explained, "Because it can be difficult to predict if a compound that looks good in animal studies will also pan out in human trials, we're currently exploring other compounds as well." But it looks like their upcoming research might tell us whether we can expect to see the pill on the market soon. Stay tuned.
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