Male Birth Control: With Promising Test on Monkeys, Vasalgel Takes Another Step Forward
Even though it takes two to tango, the onus of pregnancy prevention falls heavily on women. But if a new study is any indication, that may not always be the case.
When tested on monkeys, Vasalgel — a long-lasting reversible contraceptive for men — proved entirely effective.
Vasalgel is a polymer gel that blocks sperm from swimming through the vas deferens, and may be effective for more than 10 years. It doesn’t prevent ejaculation, but instead acts as a sort of sieve, separating sperm from seminal fluid. In strictly scientific terms, it makes the male subject shoot blanks for as long as the gel remains in place.
The study: The small-scale study involved 16 male monkeys, all of whom were injected with the gel. Post-injection, the monkeys were returned to the company of female monkeys and observed for at least one mating cycle, with researchers tracking seven of the subjects for two years.
More: Male Birth Control: With promising test on monkeys, Vasalgel takes another step forward