The study was performed on groups of mice and scientists discovered that the drug eliminated the mice’s fertility in just 30 minutes. It did not interfere with their mating behaviour in other ways, though – the males still mated with females but no pregnancies occurred in this period of time. Sperm collected from the female mice remained debilitated.
According to the study, contraceptive effectiveness was found to be at 100 percent in the first two hours and 91 percent in the first three hours. By 24 hours, it had returned to normal levels. Researchers found no negative health impacts when the drugs were continuously given to the mice for six weeks.
At the moment, further studies and clinical trials are needed – but it seems that the male pill could be a reality in the near future.
The next closest thing we have to a male contraceptive pill is a jab, which uses a technique known as Risug (Reversible inhibition of sperm under guidance). It works by injecting a gel into the sperm ducts (under anaesthetic), which creates a barrier that stops the sperm from being able to fertilise an egg once it’s passed through it. The injection lasts up to 10 years – and can even prevent the transmission of HIV.
One study tested the jab on human test subjects finding “no significant adverse effects” aside from “temporary scrotal enlargement and mild scrotal and inguinal region pain,” which were resolved within one month.
It’s not the only project in the mix trying to make a change. After receiving a $1.7 million (approximately £1.2 million) donation from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2021, researchers at the University of Dundee are also aiming to develop the first safe and effective male contraceptive drug.
According to Chris Barratt, Professor of Reproductive Medicine in the University of Dundee’s School of Medicine: “By the end of this two-year period, we would like to have identified a high-quality compound that we can progress to the first stages of drug development.
“That would be a significant step forward for the field and could potentially be the key that unlocks a new era in male contraception.
Will men actually take the male contraceptive?
This is where things get a little tricky. It’s all well and good pioneering a radical, new male contraceptive, but if men won’t actually take it… what’s the point? A study published by We-Vibe, a sex toy manufacturer, and YLabs, a research institution from the Harvard Innovation Lab, found that “78% of men worldwide would take contraception, but fear side effects.”
As part of the study, more than 3,500 people and seven sex experts from different countries were interviewed. The authors concluded that, “the majority of men want to share responsibility, and the chances of this actually happening are strong, because the increased demand is boosting research.”
However, the study also found that 41% of the men interviewed said “they would not tolerate any side effects,” especially if they thought it could affect their libido. Sadly, the flip side is that some women reported a reluctance to let men take the responsibility as “there is too much concern that their partner might not take the contraceptives regularly.”
The study concluded: “What is needed, then, is a significant cultural change in which men demand and want to use contraception and women are willing to give away some of the responsibility.”
For more from Glamour UK’s Lucy Morgan, follow her on Instagram @lucyalexxandra.