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This Male Birth Control Pill has Just Been Shown Safe in Humans for the First Time:
For years, scientists have been trying to develop a safe and effective version of the pill for men, and a new drug candidate could be the contraceptive we've been looking for.
This week, scientists in the US announced that an experimental oral drug called 11-beta-MNTDC looks to be safe and tolerable, based on results from a phase 1 clinical trial involving 40 men.
"Our results suggest that this pill, which combines two hormonal activities in one, will decrease sperm production while preserving libido," says male reproduction biologist Christina Wang from the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute (LA BioMed).
[...] 11-beta-MNTDC is a modified form of testosterone with both progestational (in effect, sperm-blocking) and androgenic (hormone-balancing) characteristics.
Before you get your hopes up too much, this was strictly a test for toleration; further studies are required to test efficacy.
(Score: 2) by Immerman on Thursday March 28 2019, @07:15AM (2 children)
No, using a condom every time isn't enough - you must use it perfectly every time. That means it must fit perfectly, be put on perfectly, not be accidentally nicked by a fingernail or corner of the foil wrapper, not be broken by excessive friction, nor slide during the fun around to eliminate the "bubble" on the tip, and you must pull out instantly after ejaculating.
Any departure from that, and the effectiveness is reduced.
Plus, even if you always use it perfectly, there's still about a 1-in-50 chance per year of pregnancy (they're about 98% effective under ideal circumstances). Compare that to the typically 1-in-10,000 or lower chance of pregnancy from properly using most female birth control. Condoms are a LOT better than nothing, but are still an unacceptably high risk for a lot of people.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 28 2019, @07:41PM (1 child)
As a service to the rest of our Soylent readers, proper condom usage is not to pull out "instantly" after ejaculation, but rather place your index finger and your middle finger to either side of the penis after final ejaculation, pulling up on the base of the condom. Withdraw before you become soft. Within 3 seconds is plenty. Wash off penis and hands.
(Score: 2) by Immerman on Friday March 29 2019, @04:32PM
Good point, and well worth clarifying.
But that's still pretty "instant" compared to other birth control methods. It also severely interferes with the afterglow or a second lap. And it may be difficult, emotionally and even physically, if your partner is lost in the throes of her own (impending) orgasm.
All in all, a lousy way to end an otherwise good time.