In 2023, a new alternative among the current contraceptive methods for men could be ready. In addition to the condom and vasectomy, research on the first non-hormonal contraceptive for men carried out by the Indian Institute of Technology may enable a third route that, according to the studies, has substantial advantages over other current methods. For one thing, it is inexpensive, reversible, and non-surgical. At the same time, the effects of the contraceptive could last for six months.
It is worth mentioning that so far, there are 9 authorized contraceptive methods in the country, 2 are for male use and the remaining 7 are in charge of women and pregnant people. A proportion that leads us to think that contraceptive responsibility is unbalanced to avoid unwanted pregnancies.
It is called Risug (reversible inhibition of sperm under control), is designed by the Indian Institute of Technology and has already completed a series of trials: the tests, carried out on 300 volunteers, showed an efficacy of 97 percent. Currently, they await authorization from the Indian regulatory body before they can start thinking about manufacturing on an industrial scale.
How does it work
The gel damages the tails of the sperm and thus prevents them from fertilizing the egg. The application is done in just a few minutes and the effect is reversed with an injection of water and baking soda. Prior to the two injections of the contraceptive vaccine, a local anesthetic is administered to the scrotum.
As only side effects, during the trials, the specialists who lead the study observed scrotal swelling and pain in the groin; damage that can last a month at most.
Also, a noteworthy and surprising fact is that the formulation used (a polymer that is injected as a gel), originally, was used to coat pipes in water systems. It was basically used to eliminate bacteria; and, from laboratory tests, they were shown to be equally successful with sperm.