It seems like making this dream a reality is always just
around the corner! But every time we get close, it slips away. I’d wager that about half of the people
reading this have never heard of the realistic possibility of contraceptives
for men. The scientific community has
been looking into this idea for over a decade now.
Condoms: currently the only form of temporary contraception available to male-bodied people. The less temporary kind is a vasectomy--and that appeals to a population of select few.
Male birth control would be such a revolutionary
development—not only in the field of medicine, but socially as well. Under the current “system,” women are solely
responsible for buying contraception, if they so choose, and keeping up with
the strict regimen of doses or doctor’s appointments. This is a huge responsibility, and also a
massive financial burden (many times, an unmanageable one). If contraceptive medication was available to
men, this responsibility would be more evenly distributed between both parties
in a sexually active heterosexual couple.
But it’s not just about making it “fair.” Men want to be able to exercise control over
their future; relying on someone else to keep you from becoming a father is
stressful. By giving men access to a
birth control method that they can choose to take (or not), ultimately gives
them control over their sexual lives in that respect, and allows them to be
autonomous in their family planning choices.
So with all these benefits to look forward to, what’s
keeping us waiting?
Scientists have been looking for the solution to this
predicament for some time. And they have
come extremely close many times!
Unfortunately, problems always seem to get in the way of moving forward
to human testing or actual production.
No drug has ever moved past clinical trials to reach the market. When it comes down to it, male birth control
would have a huge task to accomplish.
Women make one egg a month, whereas men produce thousands upon thousands
of sperm every day for years and years.
Naturally, the first route scientists attempted to take was the hormonal
one. This was developed in pill, patch,
and injection form. Ultimately, it was
shut down on all fronts because of side effects like acne, changes in
cholesterol levels, and slight weight gain. The case was also made that the
commitment to a monthly injection was just too constrictive and
inconvenient. I could go on for years
about how terrible it must be to remember that once-a-month birth control or
how horrible side effects like weight gain must be. Of COURSE the program was shut down. HOW
could anyone put a drug like that on the market?!? But that’s a blog post for another day,
perhaps.
Right now, scientists are getting our hopes up with two
different breakthroughs—one in gel form that requires further testing, and one
that was discovered by accident. The
accidental discovery seems to be the most likely candidate in my opinion. Dr. James Bradner and his team were working
on research regarding cancer when they stumbled upon a chemical combination
that led to the male body “forgetting” how to make sperm (in mice). They passed this information on to Dr. Martin
Matzuk, a fertility specialist, who is now looking into the possibility of
testing this method in humans. He states
that, from the results they are seeing in mice, this contraceptive method would
lead to the body “forgetting” how to produce sperm, but resuming normal
functioning when drugs stop entering the system. It would be temporary and potentially has no
side effects.
I am so intrigued to see if this research follows through
into market production. If it does fail,
I want to know why—cost, ineffectiveness, lack of support, or inconvenience to
potential buyers? Ultimately, support is
needed both politically and pharmaceutically to see this endeavor through to a
reality. For more information on this vast topic, check out this comprehensive article on Chemical and Engineering News.
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