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The Male Pill Is Coming, And It's Going To Change Everything

June 20, 2015

Male contraception is on its way, and it will be a complete game changer.

Image credit: YouTube/ThinkTank

Estimated to hit the market around 2018, Vasalgel is a non-hormonal male contraceptive owned by the medical research organization the Parsemus Foundation. It will be the first FDA approved male contraceptive since the condom.

How does it work?

Vasalgel is essentially a polymer that is injected into a man's sperm-carrying tubes, accessible through the scrotum, The Telegraph reports. It works by blocking sperm and is expected to be reversible through a second injection that dissolves the polymer.

Another advantage of Vasalgel is that while it blocks sperm, other fluid can still pass through. This should reduce any risk of pain due to back pressure - an occasional issue with vasectomies.

This could also make Vasalgel a best-seller among men seeking a permanent contraceptive option. It is much less invasive than a vasectomy - the method millions of men commit to every year - and can easily be reversed.

There will also be non-hormonal pill options.

Gendarussa is a pill that will prevent the sperm's ability to fertilize an egg. It has gone through phase II human trials in Indonesia. Another pill, this one from the US, is an  anti-Eppin agent that targets sperm's ability to swim.

These contraceptives are the first in line because they have gone through clinical trials. But there will be many others.

For women, it will be life-changing to have men help out in the contraceptive department.

It's a total game changer for couples, as well as single women and men. It moves the contraceptive burden into shared territory.

Credit: The Telegraph.