What would happen if, before each sexual relationship, men took a pill that blocked their sperm for a few hours before giving them their freedom? Carried out in mice, a study published this Tuesday opens this track that is still far from becoming a reality.
A molecule has managed to “reduce male fertility quickly and temporarily in mice,” summarizes a press release from the journal NatureCommunications in which this work was published.
A “one time” contraceptive
Male contraception is currently reduced to the use of condoms and the possibility of undergoing a vasectomy, the effects of which may be irreversible.
The male pill has remained an unattainable goal for decades, for complex reasons stemming from a lack of interest from the pharmaceutical industry, as well as real physiological challenges to overcome. However, several projects have obtained interesting results after testing in humans. But they still need to be confirmed in larger samples.
The study published Tuesday is at a much earlier stage, having been carried out in mice. However, it has the advantage of opening a new path since it is a “single” contraceptive and not, like the female pill, a treatment to be carried out over time to ensure its effect.
The molecule studied blocks the action of an enzyme, soluble adenylate cyclase, which plays a central role in sperm motility. Therefore, they are blocked for several hours.
Possible human trials within 3 years
In the mice studied, the molecule prevented all pregnancies when intercourse took place within two hours of administration. On the other hand, it no longer had an effect 24 hours later, with no reported side effects. Still, it’s impossible to know, as it stands, whether this treatment would work the same way in humans. The researchers plan to start trials within three years.
“I’m still a bit skeptical that this method will ever be commercialized,” admitted British researcher Susan Walker, a contraception specialist, who was not involved in the study.
However, if Susan Walker remains cautious in the face of the failure of many attempts, she acknowledges a “striking advantage” of this potential treatment, the promise of immediate effectiveness.
In real life, he notes, this might reassure a woman who finds her partner taking this pill in front of her.
Source: BFM TV
