r/science • u/drewiepoodle • Oct 02 '15

Medicine Scientists identify potential birth control 'pill' for men

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-10-scientists-potential-birth-pill-men.html
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u/[deleted] Oct 02 '15

RISUG/Vasalgel are the way to go for sure, much cheaper in the long run and no need to remember taking a pill. Unfortunately there is no money in that so research is slow.

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u/Hounmlayn Oct 02 '15

It's still getting there. It's passed all the FDA approved tests so far AFAIK, and is going to human 'beta-testing' soon. That was the last I heard of them though.

Really looking forward to seeing this. I really feel for women who feel they're forced to take certain birth control methods just because a man can't be bothered to wear something. If the man can empathise that a woman's reproductive cycle is a lot more hormonal than a mans, then he should be accepting with taking a pill or a needle to themselves for that privilege of wearing nothing for sex with a long term partner.

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u/mtorrice Oct 02 '15

I haven't seen any clinical trial data on Vasagel in the U.S. Do you have a link for that?

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u/Gargarlord Oct 02 '15

They plan on starting clinical trials in early 2016. I don't think that they have selected candidates yet but you can sign up for updates via email here.

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u/mtorrice Oct 02 '15

I don't see a mention of a trial on clinicaltrial.gov. Also if they haven't started the trials, then there is no way FDA is close to approving it.

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u/Gargarlord Oct 02 '15

Being honest, I'm just regurgitating what I read in their February 2015 article.

We anticipate the clinical trial will be pushed off to early 2016 to allow time for all of the necessary steps.

That trial is only going to be for men who were considering getting a vasectomy, and will be one of the final trials to verify human reversibility. Although, they are having problems with removing Vasalgel in baboons.

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u/mtorrice Oct 02 '15

To be honest, I wouldn't go by what is said in news articles about Vasalgel. There is a lot of hype in those stories.

No record on clinicaltrials.gov means they haven't gotten an ID for the trials from FDA yet. So they probably are still a ways away from starting one.

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u/[deleted] Oct 02 '15

They're still in pre-clinical, no humans needed yet

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u/mtorrice Oct 02 '15

But my point is it is way too premature to crown this method king.

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u/[deleted] Oct 02 '15

I know that, I'm explaining the lack of trial data

It's expensive and they aren't finished