New contraceptive gel for men, applied to the shoulder blades, takes effect in just eight weeks, research shows
A new contraceptive gel for men takes effect in just eight weeks – faster than comparable male contraceptive methods – according to a new study.
Researchers have found that the gel, applied to the shoulder blades, works faster than other experimental hormone-based birth control methods.
It combines two hormones, segesterone acetate and testosterone, which work together to suppress sperm production.
For the study, 222 men applied the gel to each shoulder blade once a day and took part in sperm count tests every four weeks.
The threshold considered effective for contraception was one million or fewer sperm cells per milliliter of semen.
According to the findings, presented at the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in Boston, 86 percent of men in the study reached this sperm count by week 15.
Researchers have found that the gel, applied to the shoulder blades, works faster than other experimental hormone-based birth control methods (stock photo)
In these men, sperm production was suppressed after an average duration of treatment of less than eight weeks.
Researchers say previous studies of male hormonal contraceptives administered by injection showed an average time between nine and 15 weeks before sperm production was suppressed.
Senior researcher Diana Blithe, head of the contraceptive development program at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, US, said: ‘Faster time to suppression may increase the attractiveness and acceptability of this drug to potential users.
For the study, 222 men applied the gel to each shoulder blade once a day and participated in semen testing every four weeks (stock)
‘The development of a safe, highly effective and reliable reversible contraceptive method for men is an unmet need.
‘Although studies have shown that some hormonal agents can be effective for male contraception, the slow onset of spermatogenic suppression is a limitation.’ The gel contains 8 milligrams (mg) of segesterone acetate and 74 mg of testosterone.
Now that the sperm suppression phase of the study has been completed, researchers will investigate the effectiveness, safety, acceptability and reversibility of contraception after stopping treatment.
A major obstacle to developing a daily contraceptive for men is the nagging fear among many women that they might forget to take it.
However, a British study, using a contraceptive gel with a slightly different formula, found that men could be trusted to take their equivalent of the pill.
The majority of participants used the gel for a full year, with 90 percent remembering to rub the gel on their shoulder every day.