“For the first time, a safe, effective and reversible hormonal male contraceptive appears to be within reach. Several formulations are expected to become commercially available within the near future. Men may soon have the option of a daily pill to be taken orally, a patch or gel to be applied to the skin, an injection given every three months or an implant placed under the skin every 12 months, according to Seattle researchers.”
In 2008 there were clinical trials taking place all over the world to find the right method for a male contraceptive. The article discusses mainly hormonal methods in the form of a pill, patch, injection, or gel. The article projected that a male contraceptive could be on the market in 2013-2015.
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It has been four years and researchers have found different options, which include nonhormonal methods, but there isn’t anything on the U.S. market yet. A drug was developed by an Indian scientist, Sujoy Guha, called RISUG or VasalGel which acts as a barrier for sperm rather than introducing more testosterone or other hormones to impede sperm production. According to a How Stuff Works article, ”The gel barrier not only makes it more difficult for sperm to squeeze through the confined tubing, but its chemical charge also fatally damages sperm membranes.” The drug would cause sterility in men for about ten or fifteen years, but the method is reversible. Since it is a long-term method, pharmaceutical companies have been reluctant to invest because it is not profitable despite the fact that the drug has shown 100% success rate with very minimal side effects.
