Male Contraceptive Pill Deemed 'Safe' And Could Soon Hit Our Shelves

Scientist have brought the world of the male contraceptive pill one step closer to reality, after a study done by the University of Washington showed the tested pill is safe to take.

The Independent reported the drug, that would be taken once daily with food, suppresses the hormones in the testes, limiting sperm activity and reducing the production.

The 40 men who participated in the study all showed decreased levels in the hormones that promote sperm production, which suggests that they had lowered sperm count, which would deem the experiment successful.

A previous study in 2016 showed that a different version of the pill was found to be successful but, caused serious side effects like mood swings, acne, and around 5 percent didn't recover sperm count a year after the study.

This new study showed less serious side-effects, with men involved in the experiment experiencing headaches, acne, tiredness, and some experienced decreased sex drive and mild erectile dysfunction. Despite this, the men willingly continued to take the pill.

The team suggested that the pill would take 60 - 90 days to affect sperm production.

Stephanie Page, professor of medicine and co-senior investigator on the trial at the University of Washington in Seattle, said:

“The goal is to expand contraceptive options and create a menu of choices for men like we have for women. We are neglecting a major potential user population with the limited options currently available to men.”

Christina Wang, a co-senior investigator on the trial at LA BioMed, said,

“This study is very short and we need three months if not more to stop sperm production. All we have shown so far is that it shuts down the hormones that control the function of the testes.”

Researchers added that it could be up to a decade before the male contraceptive pill is on the market, but there is a very high demand for it.