Researchers Develop Birth Control Gel for Men; To be Applied on Shoulder

Researchers from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in America have developed a hormone-based gel which, when applied to a male’s bare shoulders, can help reduce sperm production.

This contraceptive gel has showed promising results in clinical trials.

Researchers from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) presented promising phase 2 trial results for the new hormonal gel at the Endocrine Society’s conference in Boston. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The trial, part of NIH’s Contraceptive Development Program, involved 222 men aged 18 to 50. The participants applied 5 millilitres of the gel (about a teaspoon) to their shoulder blades daily. After 12 weeks, 86% of participants achieved sperm suppression, defined as having up to 1 million sperm per millilitre of semen, considered effective for contraception.

The new gel combines testosterone and Nestorone, a synthetic hormone called segesterone acetate, allowing it to act faster and with lower testosterone doses.

The sperm suppression stage of the international phase 2b trial of segesterone-testosterone gel is complete.

The study continues to test the contraceptive’s effectiveness, safety, acceptability and reversibility of contraception after treatment stops.