MALE CONTRACEPTION UPDATE |
February 2008 |
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Sneak previewWord has it that the Food and Drug Administration has approved a product that will make it much easier for men to tell whether new contraceptives are working; and that a major funder is getting involved in contraceptive research. Stay tuned for the details in our March issue! 
British study: Two-thrids of men say yes or maybe to trying "male Pill"A survey of 621 men aged 18-45 in the United Kingdom confirmed yet again what we've been seeing for a while: A majority of men would consider using a new male contraceptive method. Sixty-five percent of unmarried men said yes or "don't know" when asked if they'd use a hormonal male method, and 61% of married men. One wonders what answer men gave if they were one of the 18% of partnered UK men who already have a vasectomy! Does that mean the total number of men open to or interested in sharing contraceptive responsibility is over 80%? The study was done by the UK 's leading sexual health nonprofit, the Family Planning Association, as part of Contraceptive Awareness Week 2008, themed "The New Man." As part of the week, 2,000 campaign packs were sent out to health and other professionals. Read more:
Vasectomy best practices“This study demonstrates that the type of suture material used for ligation of the vas deferens does affect the vasectomy success… Failure to achieve azoospermia on post-vasectomy semen analysis was seen in 3.5% men (36/1038) in the chromic catgut group and 10.1% men (110/1088) in the Vicryl® group (p < 0.0001). Also, the vasectomy failure rates for individual urologists increased significantly following introduction of Vicryl®. Conclusions In our study we noticed a three fold increase in failure to achieve azoospermia on PVSA with Vicryl® as compared to chromic catgut.” Does the type of suture material used for ligation of the vas deferens affect vasectomy success?
Upcoming Popular Science articleLook for coverage of male contraception research in an upcoming issue of Popular Science. Popular Science is the world's largest science and technology magazine, with 6.5 million monthly readers and a bigger circulation than Vanity Fair, BusinessWeek, or the New Yorker (and, no surprise: most of the readers are men!). Look for ever-increasing public interest in, and demand for, new male contraceptives as word continues to get out that several promising methods could be made available within the next 4-6 years given enough government and nonprofit funding.
Press coverageMany campus newspapers have lamented the unfortunate impact of the recent implementation of the 2005 Deficit Reduction Act: a tripling of birth control costs at college health centers. The federal act prevented drug manufacturers from providing health centers at college campuses with discounts for birth control. The Johns Hopkins student paper eloquently argues that students must forcefully advocate for their sexual health, or risk seeing themselves priced out of reproductive control. Also see: “As advocates for Plan B, male contraception, the inclusion of male perspectives in family planning, and better sexual health education, men today can ensure a more productive and loving relationship with women in the future.” “To understand why men might not be that eager to take a birth control pill, we're left with a set of generalizations and stereotypes, many of which are unfair to a large percentage of men… Ever notice how this sitcom stereotype doesn't stretch to include the main part of the day where both men and women have to be on the ball, keep their appointments, and just generally display responsibility? You know, work?” “What would happen if blokes shouldered some of the burden of preventing unwanted pregnancies? And I'm not talking about condoms and tube-tying here - I'm talking about a DIY contraception for the boys… what do you think about a "pill" for men?” “The sight of Juno's growing stomach can be seen as a pointer on contraception - especially if you're a male who isn't ready for fatherhood...” College students take the lead, sponsoring a forum on the future of male birth control. Researcher Derek Hook of the University of Minnesota Institute for Therapeutic Discovery and Development is interviewed. Correction: Article states that no male contraceptives are available, forgetting vasectomy and condoms.
EditorsElaine Lissner, Director of the Male Contraception Information Project (MCIP) Kirsten Thompson, Director of the Male Contraception Coalition (MCC)
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