Though men and women share equal responsibility for birth control, the burden of using contraception has disproportionately been shouldered by women. Women bear the primary responsibility for preventing pregnancy.
Currently, there are several birth control options available for women but men have just a couple of options like condoms and vasectomies. This is primarily because there is a lack of interest from the pharmaceutical industry.
Well, all this is going to change with this “game-changer” contraception for men
A team of researchers from Weill Cornell Medicine targeted an enzyme called soluble adenylyl cyclase which acts as the ‘on switch’ for sperm. If this enzyme is switched off, the sperm can no longer move.
Researchers developed an experimental contraceptive drug candidate that was able to immobilize sperm quickly and temporarily in male mice. This new drug renders male mice infertile within an hour and wears off in less than a day.
The potential drug has not yet been tested in humans, but the researchers hope to hold the first trials on humans within three years.
This experimental study could pave the way for a future “on-demand” pill that ultimately allows men to share equal responsibility with women for birth control.
