Contraceptive Pills For Men Will Soon Be Available

Over the years, women have borne the brunt of using hormonal contraceptive drugs while the only method of male contraception is condoms. Recently, there now appears to be hope on the horizon.

A non-hormonal male contraceptive tablet that prevents sperm from swimming is now being tested by scientists.

The plan is for males to take one an hour before having sex. This will eliminate the need for condoms among partners who have tested themselves for Sexually Transmitted Infections, thus expanding the scope of what is meant by safe sex.

According to studies done on mice, it keeps sperm shocked for at least a few hours, which is enough time for them not to move toward the egg.

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Allan Pacey, professor of andrology at the University of Sheffield, told the BBC that tests on human sperm performed in a lab revealed that it functions in the same way. “So that does open up the possibility that we can have some human trials,” ⁠

It is intended that more tests will be done, first on rabbits and then on humans.

One advantage of the method under study, according to scientists, is that it won’t suppress testosterone or have any negative effects associated with a lack of male hormones. It doesn’t affect hormones like the female contraceptive pill does.

A cellular signalling protein that is known as soluble adenylyl cyclase, or sAC, is what they intend to target as the “sperm-swim” switch. This experimental male enhancement drug will reduce or outright stop sAC.