Contributed by Rebecca Johnson
Injectable birth male birth control for men is on its way to being available in India.
Reversible inhibition of sperm under guidance, or RISUG. According to the Hindustan Times, the contraceptive is effective for 13 years and is purposed to be a replacement for a surgical vasectomy. The contraceptive has completed a clinical trial and could be available in the coming months.
“The product is ready, with only regulatory approvals pending with the Drugs Controller. The trials are over, including extended, phase 3 clinical trials for which 303 candidates were recruited with 97.3% success rate and no reported side-effects. The product can safely be called the world’s first male contraceptive,” said Dr RS Sharma, senior scientist with ICMR, who has been spearheading the trials.
The contraceptive is designed as a replacement for surgical vasectomy, which is the only male sterilisation method available in the world.
(reports @RamblingBrook)https://t.co/DPlRqb9PYe
— Hindustan Times (@htTweets) November 19, 2019
Under anaesthesia, a polymer is injected in the sperm-containing tube near the testicles. This option is less risky than a vasectomy according to doctors.
“Non-surgical procedures are always preferred over surgical procedures because they will be safer and less invasive. More men are likely to opt for it,” said Dr Anup Kumar, head of urology and renal transplant department, Safdarjung Hospital in India.
Researchers in the US are developing another contraceptive for males, similar to this one that comes in gel form, according to the Parsemus Foundation.