According to the World Health Organization (WHO), many men believe that preventing unintended pregnancy is a shared responsibility.
However, their female partners will bear the burden of contraception until new male contraceptives (MCs) are developed.
The good news is US scientists have been working on developing a male contraceptive pill, and new research is underway.
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After testing it on mice, the pill has been shown to switch off the enzyme the sperm needs to reach the egg.
It is one step closer to having it available for men, but is this something they want to use, and would women trust men to take it?
On today’s Briefing episode, we speak to Lonny Levin and Jochen Buck from Weill Cornell’s graduate school of medical science about how they’re helping develop this pill.
It is true that it is more difficult. You have to always remember that the person who is taking the contraceptive is a healthy person. It’s not like curing the disease where you are willing to put up with certain side effects,”
he said.
Mr Levin said the reason that funding a male-based contraceptive solution was challenging was due to its difficulty on a scientific level, as well as a lack of willingness to find the solution.
The principle which we are studying would be that men take the pill 30 minutes before and then would be protected for the next six to 12 hours.”
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