A male birth control injected into the groin could be made available in the next year, Indian scientists say.
The birth control successfully completed an Indian clinical trial recently and found a “97.3% success rate with no reported side-effects,” the Indian Council of Medical Research senior scientist Dr. R.S. Sharma told the Hindustan Times.
The new birth control blocks sperm from leaving a man’s genitals by injecting a compound called Styrene Maleic Anhydride into the vas deferens and is slated to last for 13 years.
The council said it developed the contraceptive to replace the more invasive procedure of surgical vasectomy, according to CBS Miami.
“Non-surgical procedures are always preferred over surgical procedures because they will be safer and less invasive,” said Dr. Anup Kumar, head of urology and renal transplant department at Safdarjung Hospital. “More men are likely to opt for it.”
The U.S. has been workshopping a similar contraceptive, called Vasalgel, but it has not left the development stages yet.
V.G. Somani, the drug controller general of India, said the next step is for them to examine the work and see if it passes their certification.
“It’s the first in the world from India, so we have to be extra careful about approval. We are looking at all aspects, especially the good manufacturing practice (GMP) certification that won’t raise any questions about its quality,” he said.
• Bailey Vogt can be reached at bvogt@washingtontimes.com.
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