The first-ever Male contraceptive gel, which dramatically reduces sperm count in men, is to be tested next year. Starting in April, the clinical trial will run for about four years and will be the largest effort in the U.S. to test a hormonal form of birth control for men. Currently, men’s only options for birth control are condoms or a vasectomy, after trials testing an injection were halted in 2012 over fears it may cause depression and suicidal thoughts.
Women are switching to apps as a form of hormone-free birth control. However, this new gel, which is rubbed into men’s upper arms and shoulders every day enabling it to soak into their bloodstream, could prove ground-breaking. “It’s not a lot of effort. It’s just remembering to use it every day,” program director for contraception development at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, part of the National…
