450 Couples Will Test This Method for Contraception Over the Next Year.
If successful, the male contraceptive gel method will be considered a breakthrough in medicine, alleviating the burden of contraception that has traditionally fallen solely on women.
According to The Guardian, James Owers, 29, and Diana Bardsley, 27, who live in Edinburgh, UK, are among the couples participating in the trial, using only the hormone-suppressing gel to prevent pregnancy for a year.
At the end of June, this trial commenced with the participation of 450 couples, aimed at demonstrating the equivalent effectiveness of this method compared to women’s contraceptive pills. This could contribute to changing societal attitudes toward pregnancy and reproductive control.
James Owers and Diana Bardsley are among the first 450 couples to test male contraceptive gel. (Photo: The Observer).
“Men need more options. Right now, it’s easy for men to say, ‘It doesn’t really depend on me.’ If this method becomes popular, not choosing to participate means deciding not to take responsibility,” said Owers, a research fellow involved in the project.
“I think this is a significant solution. It gives men the chance to combine autonomy and responsibility. This will also positively impact the relationship between men and women in society,” explained Bardsley, a social researcher.
This gel is applied daily to the chest, shoulders, and arms of the male participant. The gel contains a mix of progesterone and testosterone. While progesterone inhibits sperm production in the testes, the testosterone in the gel compensates for the male hormone deficiency caused by the gel.
Without supplemental testosterone, men may experience several uncomfortable side effects, such as mood swings, weight gain, and reduced libido.
Because testosterone is metabolized very quickly in the liver, it is difficult to administer orally, which has previously hindered the development of hormone-related male contraceptive methods.
The transdermal method is considered a significant advancement. Scientists hope that with the gel version validated at research centers in the UK, Sweden, Chile, and Kenya, men will find it easy to use with fewer side effects.
The gel comes in a spray canister similar to a toothpaste tube. Men must remember to apply it to their shoulders, chest, and arms every morning.
A minor inconvenience with this method is that female partners need to avoid contact with the areas where the gel is applied to prevent secondary reactions to testosterone, such as increased male hormone levels and hair growth. Therefore, men need to shower before bedtime or wear a t-shirt at night.
Owers reported that after using the gel for six weeks, his sperm count had decreased to nearly zero.
It will take a similar amount of time for sperm production to return to normal. This means that if a participant forgets to apply the gel for a few days, the risk of pregnancy for couples does not increase rapidly, unlike female pills that require strict adherence.
“After nine weeks of using the gel, the side effects have diminished: only a few small spots on my lower back, a slight increase in libido, and about a 2 kg weight gain are the only notable changes. I feel it has very little impact on my life,” Owers shared.
If the results of the year-long trial are optimistic, the research team hopes pharmaceutical companies will take an interest and mass-produce the product for market release. This process could take 4-5 years to complete.
“Before the birth control pill was introduced, we could not have predicted its impact on society. Similarly, I don’t think we can truly predict the effects of this method. But like the pill, I believe everything holds potential,” concluded John Reynolds-Wright, a clinical researcher in Edinburgh and the lead of the trial project.
