A birth control pill for guys? Yes, it’s true collegiettes, a pill for men may be right around the corner.
A drug, known as JQ1, successfully has stunted sperm production in male mice. But even better, like female birth control pills, the effects are completely reversible. On top of all this, since almost 40 percent of pregnancies are unplanned, JQ1 also holds the possibility of significantly expanding the pool of contraceptives. But first, it must be proven safe and effective in real live, human guys.
“We have only observed full recovery of fertility in treated males,” researchers from Baylor College of Medicine wrote in their study released earlier this week. “We envision that our discoveries can be completely translated to men, providing a novel and efficacious strategy for a male contraceptive.”
But while some doctors have said that cutting sperm counts maybe be scary for men, others believe that some guys will openly welcome the idea.
“If you look at vasectomy, there are plenty of men in committed relationships who choose to take onus of reproductive planning on themselves,” Dr. Joseph Alukal, director of male reproductive health at New York University’s Langone Medical Center, told ABCNews. “I think the same sorts of people would choose to look into something like this.”
However, when it comes to single guys, is this pill really the best option, especially if they’re constantly mixing and mingling with different women?
“In modern society, there are all kinds of legitimate questions raised about the utility of a pill like this, “Alukal said. “Do you really expect guys to take, and their female partners to trust that they’ve taken it?”
So collegiettes, what do you think? Is this pill the greatest scientific breakthrough? Or are you second guessing just how trustworthy it is? Weigh in below!