LOADING ERROR LOADING Scientists have been trying to develop a male version of the pill for decades , with a number of frustrating starts and stops along the way. This week, scientists at the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society in Boston announced that we may be one step closer to male birth control becoming a reality: Judging by early clinical trials, a hormonal gel that’s rubbed on the shoulders daily may be even more effective than hormonal contraceptive options for women. Advertisement The gel, developed by the National Institutes of Health and the nonprofit Population Council, combines two main ingredients , nestorone and testosterone, the male sex hormone.
The nestorone suppresses the production of testosterone in the testes and, consequently, the development of sperm. By reintroducing synthetic testosterone, any negative effect on the sex drive is minimized. Advertisement In a clinical trial , 86% of men achieved sperm counts low enough to prevent pregnancy after 15 weeks of using the gel.
For other men, the drug worked at even brisker pace, suppressing sperm production within four to eight weeks. “We’ve been just really excited by the results,” said Diana Blithe, branch chief of the NIH’s National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, at the conference. “The combination seems to provide better, faster suppression than we expected.
” Advertisement In the wake of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade and numerous states passing legislatio.
