More contraceptive options for everyone become more important in the wake of the reversal of the Wade decision.
There are a number of contraceptive methods that can be used by women and people who want to become pregnant.
Men who produce sperm have limited options. Both withdrawal and condoms have low failure rates. The failure rate for withdrawal is around 20%. When used correctly, condoms have a failure rate of 2 percent, but it goes up to 13 percent when used wrong.
Vasectomies have a failure rate of less than 1 percent and are considered a permanent method of contraceptives. There is no protection against sexually transmitted infections.
Since the introduction of the no-scalpel vasectomy in the 1980's, there has not been a new form of male birth control. I have been working with my team to develop male contraception methods.
New contraceptive options can help men participate and share contraceptive responsibilities with their partners, and reduce the rate of pregnancies.
A survey of 1,500 men ages 18 to 44 found that over 80% wanted to prevent their partner from getting pregnant and that they had sole responsibility for birth control.
Men who don't like condoms are more likely to use birth control or never use contraception. 87 percent of people dissatisfied with condoms are interested in new contraceptive methods.
A 2002 survey of over 9000 men in nine countries found that over 55 percent would use a new method of male birth control.
A 2000 survey found that 98% of women trust their partner to use a male contraceptive method.
There have been no new male birth control methods since the '80s.
Governmental and non-governmental organizations have supported male contraception development.
Drug development programs at these agencies are usually run by a small group of people assisted by research organizations. Financial resources are limited.
The drug industry shies away from male birth control due to lack of interest from pharmaceutical companies.
The cost of development is one reason. Uncertainties about who would give these drugs and unclear regulatory requirements for male contraceptive methods are other reasons. Liability may be a concern for companies if there is a baby.
Various methods of male contraception are being looked into by researchers.
Hormonal methods are usually applied to the skin and injected into the body. Testosterone and a progestin are usually contained in these methods. The hormones that control the testes are suppressed by the progestin.
testosterone is typically included in hormonal methods to ensure that there is an adequate level of the hormone for other bodily functions.
Increasing circulating testosterone levels above a certain level can help suppress sperm production. The suppression of sperm production is enhanced by progestin.
A hormonal contraceptive candidate furthest along in development is currently in a clinical study that has recruited over 400 couples across four continents. I was the main investigator in this trial.
The results of the study have so far been promising and the couples have found the gel acceptable to use.
Drugs that function like testosterone and progestin are being developed by my team and I. The drugs are being tested as a daily pill or long-acting injection.
Nonhormonal methods include drugs that target sperm- producing organs. The efficacy of nonhormonal drugs in animal models is not the same as the efficacy in humans. First-stage clinical trials are being worked on by a few of these methods.
Reversibly blocking the vas deferens is one of the nonhormonal methods. Studies sponsored by the MaleContraceptive Initiative and Parsemus Foundation are testing a type of material that blocks sperm from traveling through the vas deferens.
People are ready to use contraceptives. Collaboration between academic, government, nonprofit, and pharmaceutical sectors can help deliver new birth control methods that are safe and accessible to everyone.
The Physician/Investigator at the Lundquist Institute is Christina Chung-Lun Wang.
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