Two thirds of men would be prepared to take an oral contraceptive and 36 percent would be prepared to have contraceptive injections, a survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation has found.
Putting your pill where your mouth is
And soon, they may be asked to put their pills where their mouths are. Contraception for men could be a reality in a few years. And it’ll be impossible to forget to take it, reports say.
For decades now, men have asked “Did you remember to take your pill?” Condoms aside, contraception has primarily been the woman’s domain. But things are about to change.
Male pill effective for three years
Now a male contraceptive "pill" is being developed in the UK. Its dosage will be delivered through tiny rods placed under the skin of the arm, making it impossible for men to forget to take. What’s more, it could be effective for about three years.
The new contraceptive is currently undergoing clinical trials with 40 British men between 18 to 45, and another 80 from the US and Europe. Results are expected as soon as the end of this year.
Testosterone injection
Pharmaceutical firm Organon hopes to have a product on the market by 2005. The implant uses etongestrel, which is a form of progesterone used to block sperm production. This is the same hormone that is currently being used in the male pill - a contraceptive in tablet form, which is already under trial.
With both of these methods, men will need injections of testosterone every four or six weeks to maintain their sex drive.
The company, which already makes the female implant Implanon, said they would be testing the safety of the implant.