Male Contraceptive Pill Successful in Human Trial
According to a recent report in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, a phase one study “looking at the safety and tolerability of a new birth control pill for men” has been declared a success, IFLScience.com reported.
The pill contains a modified form of testosterone that blocks the production of the hormones that are needed for testes to produce testosterone and sperm, while also counteracting the drop in testosterone. Thirty trial participants took the pill for 28 days (10 received a placebo) and “experienced a drop in hormones that would cause a drop in sperm production.”
Aside from mild fatigue, acne and headaches, no severe side-effects were reported. Five men reported a mild decrease in their sex drive and two described mild erectile dysfunction, “however, this did not appear to affect sexual activity, according to the study.”
“Our results suggest that this pill, which combines two hormonal activities in one, will decrease sperm production while preserving libido,” Christina Wang of the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute and Harbor UCLA Medical Center said in a statement.
