Well it's about damn time

[The Kizzy]

Team Working on Birth Control for Men
By Associated Press
Tue Jun 21, 8:20 AM

KANSAS CITY, Kan. - Four decades after the birth control pill became available to women, researchers at the University of Kansas and the University of Kansas Medical Center are working to develop a similar contraceptive for men.

The researchers plan to test about a half-million chemical compounds to find a pill that does not involve hormones that men could take weekly or monthly. They also hope to find something that is close to 100 percent effective and has no risky side effects.

The research is being conducted with a $7.9 million grant from the National Institutes of Health. Scientists will test compounds at a high-tech laboratory on the university's Lawrence campus.

It will be at least five years before clinical trials could be conducted on men.

While women have been using the pill since the 1960s, men generally have had two contraception choices: condoms or sterilization.

"Half of the population has been ignored," said Joseph Tash, a reproductive biologist at the University of Kansas School of Medicine.

Only 27 percent of women who practice contraception rely on their partners to use condoms or have vasectomies, according to data from the Alan Guttmacher Institute.

"I think some couples would like to have that option," said Gunda Georg, lead researcher on the project. "There's been a shift in attitude. Some men would like to share more in that responsibility."

The new, five-year contract will build on work begun four years ago. Under another NIH grant, Kansas researchers identified a chemical compound that caused temporary infertility in male rats. The university has filed a patent application for that compound. The team now hopes to discover a half-dozen more compounds.

Male contraceptives being tested in China and Europe are hormone-based, involving either large injections of a male hormone similar to testosterone or a combination of testosterone and a female hormone.

Preliminary studies have shown hormonal contraception to be effective and that men regain their fertility after several months, said Douglas Colvard, associate director of Conrad, a nonprofit organization at Eastern Virginia Medical School that promotes research on reproductive health. But testosterone injections raise concerns about side effects, such as elevated cholesterol levels and promoting cancer growth, Colvard said.

The Kansas researchers are looking for a male pill that does not affect hormones. Instead, they are looking for chemicals that can disable a handful of enzymes that scientists have identified as critical to male fertility.

The researchers have selected more than 100,000 compounds that might work, Georg said, and will test about 400,000 compounds from the NIH.

After the number of compounds are reduced, the researchers will study them at the molecular level to see how they bind to the enzymes.

The best compounds then will go to the Kansas School of Medicine, where Tash will test them on mice or rats to see if they are effective and safe, and whether the rodents regain fertility after they stop receiving them.

"Obviously, the goal is 100 percent effectiveness," Tash said. "The female pill is 95 to 99 percent effective. We hope to at least meet that level."

[Lyion]

Wonder how many more idiot unmarried 19 year olds will become pregnant due to this.

[The Kizzy]

Hopefully, the number will decrease. No more "She told me she was on birth control!!" Now, he is just as responsible as she is.

[Lyion]

She told me she was on birth control!!" Now, he is just as responsible as she is.

To me it just means more young women will be snowed under by this when a guy wants to get off and doesn't care about the future. I'm sure it'll be good for a few guys, but I think it'll at least even out with the chicks who are bullshitted and knocked up.

[araby]

Jesus, "it's about damn time" is right.

I fucking hate birth control options for women right now. It's unbelievable how much of a different person I feel like when my body doesn't "think" it's pregnant.

When I wasn't on it, I wasn't bitchy, I wasn't depressed and I felt natural.
Not to mention, and this is a lame argument, but because I'm a smoker, I'd take a little comfort in knowing that smoking alone will cause cancer...not that I need the BC to drive that nail in the coffin.

I can't believe it's taken them this long to get on this...it's on par with a silent handpiece (or drill in laymen's terms) in a dentist's office. They can silence a damn gun, and they can't silence a handpiece?!

actually, I've heard that a few naval engineers are working on it...

[labbats]

Don't try and silence my penis!

[Gypsiyee]

When I wasn't on it, I wasn't bitchy, I wasn't depressed and I felt natural.

God it's good to hear someone else say that

I *love* Seasonale for the purposes of not having the thing but once every 3 months, but shit, it's got my hormones always jumping up and down like a damned rodeo sometimes. The only peace I have with it is knowing that using logic, my mood isn't my fault and to try to tell myself it's just an overreaction.. but that only goes so far when the emotion circus comes to town

[Martrae]

Sounds like me when I was pregnant...I could be laughing one minute and crying the next. My poor hub never knew which it would be.

[veeneedefeesh]

Strange...the only time my ex-wife wasnt a bitch was when she was pregnant...

[Martrae]

I wasn't a bitch....just had horrid mood swings.

[Ginzburgh]

I would never take this. Hell...it might screw up my chances of ever having a child.

[Agrajag]

A lot of women are against men being able to have "the pill." Since the birth control pill for women has come out, they have been in control of when and when not they become pregnant. With the birth control pill for men, this will take away that power.

Just wait until it hits the shelves and watch the single mother population plummet!

And this has actually been in work for the last couple of years. Not really new news.

[Mop]

And yet no cure of cancer.

[The Kizzy]

I think if both male and female would be responsible enough, and BOTH take the pill it shouldn't be a problem. It also would be great when in a relationship and the male, like Araby mentioned, can take the BC, hopefully it won't have as many side effects for men as it does women.

[Mop]

Why would it not you are suppressig hormones?


buy a condom.

[10sun]

A lot of women are against men being able to have "the pill." Since the birth control pill for women has come out, they have been in control of when and when not they become pregnant. With the birth control pill for men, this will take away that power.

Just wait until it hits the shelves and watch the single mother population plummet!

And this has actually been in work for the last couple of years. Not really new news.

Truth.

Quoted for posterity.

-Adam

[Wrath Child]

I would never take this. Hell...it might screw up my chances of ever having a child.

And that would be a bad thing why...?

[Lyion]

Or hey be smart enough not to cum inside, or be cummed in the 5 days a month a girl can get pregnant.

Heaven forbid people actually understand their bodies.

[Narrock]

I hope you don't actually think the "rhythm method" is accurate.

[Ciladan]

Or hey be smart enough not to cum inside, or be cummed in the 5 days a month a girl can get pregnant.

Heaven forbid people actually understand their bodies.

I heard semen survives for 7 days after ejaculation inside the body.

[Foutty]

Wear a condom. Always.

[araby]

Wear a condom. Always.

fuck that. If you're promiscuous and not in a relationship that you trust is monogamous, then yah wear one always.

otherwise, condoms suck ASS and they make things not as good IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN

[Foutty]

I know what you mean, but being single means wrapping it up. Even after I get a vasectomy.

[Adivina]

Fuck that. Condoms are good tools for when you are single or not monogamous. When you are in a trusting dedicated relationship there is no reason to not take birth control pills, aside from if they are not medically compatible with you. Its a different level of intimacy...

[runamonk]

Or hey be smart enough not to cum inside, or be cummed in the 5 days a month a girl can get pregnant.

Heaven forbid people actually understand their bodies.

All anal all the time.