Male Birth Control is Nearly Here

The Daily Beast reports Vasalgel, a safe and reversible implant for men, may be on the market by 2017. Fare thee well condoms and that pesky 2% failure rate.? Vasalgel is a development of?RISUG (reversible inhibition of sperm under guidance), a procedure that has been undergoing clinical trials in India for sometime now and now the company behind Vasalgel wants to take all this research to the copulating masses. A small study on baboons has seen no baby monkies being born despite a lot of activity in that direction.

The whole thing works by injecting polymer gel into a man’s vas deferens?? this is where the sperm flows and what is snipped during a vasectomy. Sperm is blocked and the procedure is reversible with a second injection. At the moment the scientists behind Vasalgel are looking for investors and claim that if they reach their target they can set about injecting willing men folk by 2017.

However media outlet Vox.com are skeptical as to this optimistic timeline – pointing out that Vasalgel isn’t anywhere near FDA approval and quoting medical experts who stress more data is needed to test the effectiveness of Vasalgel. One expert, Joseph Tash of the Kansas University Medical Center, points out that the leading possibility for male birth control may still lie in the hormonal realm. However, he also admits the biggest challenge is the sheer amount of sperm a man produces in comparison to women producing 1/2 eggs a month.

So ladies, what say you to male birth control? A weight off your mind? Or do you prefer shouldering all the responsibility?

Jeanne Sutton @jeannedesutun