New Male Contraceptive Gel Enters Clinical Trials (cbslocal.com)

The first clinical trial is underway to test a new male contraceptive that could be a game changer for preventing pregnancy. From a report: "(It's) a combination of two horomones: Progestin, which is the typical horomone that is found in female contraceptive pills, which they put in there to suppress sperm production, to trick the body, and testosterone, which is the male sex horomone so that there's normal circulating levels of testosterone that men don't lose their libido or sexual function or have any changes in mood," said CBS News medical contributor Dr. Tara Narula.

The National Institutes of Health is enrolling about 420 couples to use an experimental gel that has been in development for more than 10 years. If proven effective, it would be the first hormonal birth control for men. The gel is applied to the back and shoulders. Researchers found that testosterone, once absorbed through the skin, stays in the system longer than testosterone taken in pill form does. Male volunteers will use the gel every day for four to 12 weeks.

Comments

Why not vasectomy instead?

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm not a heterosexual cis male, but if I were I would rather get a little snip with no lasting side effects than fuck with my hormone system. If I wanted offspring with my genes I could freeze some sperm before.
Of course it's possible that men turn out to like these changes to their hormone system. Apparently the female pill is something that women like because it reduces or eliminates unnecessary menstruation.

Re: Why not vasectomy instead?

[Anonymous Coward]

Yeah, it probably won't affect the ones rubbing it in during the trial because they will all be given personal direction by the study folks to use gloves. But if they mass market this - you know that the slobbering stew of genetic do-overs we all see everyday will fail to use gloves, will rub it on the glans penis and shaft directly, and may even use it like it was a spermicidal lubricant. I don't see this working in the market in this form.

Honestly getting someone to rub some goop on you everyday is just not as simple or convenient as taking the current female contraceptive. To be effective, a contraceptive must be used and used correctly. This isn't going to do it. If the bioavailability of testosterone is lower in pill form then up the dosage to match the same amount in the blood / body and make the damn thing a simple, daily pill.

Re:Why not vasectomy instead?

[ContextSwitch]

I'm replying as someone who had a vasectomy and then had it reversed.

The problem with vasectomies is that they should be considered permanent because the reversal is not guaranteed and, you know, things change, you may end up regretting that decision.

Also there are other complications, in my case the Post-Vasectomy-Pain (PVP) was quite unbearable and induced a lot of nausea.

That's why vasectomies are not like "normal" contraception.

Re:Progestin and Testosterone?

[AmiMoJo]

According to TFA the extra testosterone is to prevent side effects like loss of libido and sexual function.

Anyway, this is just the trial, it may improve given time with no ways to apply it.

And really this is a huge game changer for men. It will give us a level of control over our own fertility that we have never had before, and maybe even lead to other liberating changes just like the pill did.