A new male contraceptive could soon hit the market and change the world of contraceptives as we know it, but men will have to put up with a bit of a prick in a particularly sensitive area.
The clinical trials of the world’s first injectable male contraceptive have just been successfully completed by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). All that’s left is for the Indian drug administrative to give approval before the manufacturing process begins. If all goes well, they may begin with manufacturing in the next seven months.
During the phase three clinical trials, over 300 candidates participated and an overall success rate of 97.3% was achieved with no reported side-effect.
The new contraceptive option was formally named reversible inhibition of sperm under guidance or RISUG, and is designed in such a way that it can be used as an alternative to surgical vasectomy. The effects of the injection lasts for up to 13 years.
The contraceptive is administered following a local anaesthetic. It is injected directly into small tubes on the outside of the testicle that transport the sperm towards the ejaculatory ducts known as the vas deferens.
Although this might not be the most appealing image for men interested in the contraceptive, hopes are that is will become popular in future and offer a less stressful option when compared to surgery. Many years have gone into the development of this new contraceptive, as Indian scientists have been developing it since the 1970s.
The idea of a male contraceptive has long been a topic of discussion and more research is going into developing options for male contraceptives each year.
Another such project is a gel contraceptive which can be rubbed onto the shoulders every morning to provide effective male contraception by reducing sperm production.
In the coming years, the contraceptive tables could turn with more men showing interest in male contraception than ever before.
Also read: Rubbing shoulders with a new male contraceptive
Picture: Pixabay