In 2021, there are many methods of female contraception, ranging from emergency, semi-permanent, and permanent. With the first-ever being recorded around 1850 BC, and ‘the pill’ being FDA approved in 1960. However, the male counterpart leaves a little to be desired. Currently, there are only two forms of male contraceptive available to the general public: using condoms and getting a vasectomy. Although the NHS reports condoms to be 98% effective, they can slip off or break. Thus, meaning the female needs to seek emergency contraception to avoid pregnancy. Why is contraception still a woman’s job?

Female contraception tablets. Source: Unsplash — Female contraception tablets. *Source: Unsplash*

The male equivalent to ‘the pill’ was first tried in the 1970s, and although research has continued since, nothing of the sort has not been released to the general public. Understandably, the success of the female pill puts large pharmaceutical companies off investing in such. Having a predicted market value of $23bn by 2023 is no great feat.

Currently, researchers are looking into both hormonal and non-hormonal alternatives to condoms and vasectomies, though most haven’t been trialled on anything bar animals. The most promising, however, was the creation of synthetic testosterone and the contraceptive ‘jab’, created and trialled at the Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg in Germany, 2016. Dr. Hermann Behre and his researchers found that when their 320 healthy male subjects were injected with both testosterone and progestogen every two months for one year, sperm production was suppressed enough for it to be classed as a form of birth control. With a 7% failure rate and just four pregnancies out of 266 couples, this proved to be more effective than condoms (12%) and the female contraceptive pill (9%). However, trials were halted as safety became a concern and side effects also became too much for many subjects. According to the NHS, around half (45.9%) of the trial subjects reported experiencing acne, with one in five reporting mood disorders. While unpleasant, these side effects are comparable to that of most hormonal female contraceptives. However, around 5% of men who undertook this trial found that their sperm count did not recover after the one-year testing period. Furthermore, one-in-three of these men commented that they were happy to continue using this as a form of contraception, providing their sperm count returned to normal after they stop taking it. There is no evidence implying this is still being worked on.

Another form of male contraceptive that is no longer under production is referred to as the ‘clean sheets’ pill. The pill, researched and made by the Parsemus Foundation in San Francisco, California, was reported to be a non-hormonal alternative to the condom and vasectomy. Unlike the contraceptive ‘jab’, the pill, whose production was cancelled in 2018 due to lack of funding, would be taken around two to three hours before a man has sex and would be effective for 16-24 hours. The pill, while temporary, worked by blocking the release of semen without reducing the sensation. As a result, lessening the chance of unwanted pregnancy and the spread of sexually transmitted infections that are present in semen, such as HIV. Creators of the drug, the Parsemus Foundation, held a small attitudes study to answer if men would go for it or not. The study was conducted on low and moderate-income young men in the U.S. The study concluded that 20% of men said, “no way!”; a further 20% said “yes, please, where can I get it!”; and the rest commented that: “it depends” on knowing more about side effects, safety, etc. While 20% isn’t considered a high figure, it is higher than the percentage of men who use the alternative, condoms. Furthermore, a TechCITEMENT article published in 2012 about the drug was viewed by more than half a million people, further reinforcing the interest of the pill, then in production. However, the pill would only be effective for 16-24 hours and depends on the sex being predetermined or otherwise seemingly being useless.

My findings show that essentially, where there is supply there will be demand. Lack of funding seems to be a common issue for most research labs seeking a more effective solution for men and ultimately begs the question of when we will get another male contraceptive widely available to the public. While writing this there are still many trials taking place, most still being tested on animals. Yet most aren’t expected to be approved for another 10+ years.

The Mystery Behind Male Contraceptives