Male contraceptive pill prototype stops sperm swimming
An on-demand, non-hormonal male contraceptive pill may be a real possibility say scientists who have found a cell pathway, or switch, that stops sperm from being able to swim.
Tests in mice suggest it keeps sperm stunned for at least a few hours – long enough to stop them reaching the egg.
Many more tests are planned and needed, moving to rabbits before people.
Unlike the female contraceptive pill, it does not involve any hormones.
Scientists say that is one of the advantages of the approach they are exploring – it will not knock out testosterone and cause any male hormone deficiency side effects.
Instead, the “sperm-swim” switch they are targeting is a cellular signalling protein called soluble adenylyl cyclase or sAC. The experimental male pill inhibits or blocks sAC.
The idea is users could pop a pill an hour before sex and keep an eye on the clock for when it wears off.
(BBC)
