A drug trial—recently published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism—for male birth control was halted when men complained about side effects, even though the results found this injectable form was almost 96 percent effective. The study focused on testing the safety and effectiveness of a contraceptive shot in 320 healthy men, all of which were in relationships with female partners. The injections were given periodically in order to achieve the overall goal of lowering sperm count.
While the study occurred between 2008 and 2012, researchers stopped enrolling new participants in 2011 because of the rate of reported side effects, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Of the 320 men who ranged in age from 18 to 45, 20 dropped out of the drug trial. They complained of side effects like acne, pain, libido issues, and mood changes. These may sound familiar, as they are the common side effects of female birth control contraceptives that women have been experiencing for years. Up to 64 percent of women report similar symptoms while taking the pill. In addition to these side effects, oral contraceptives consumed by women can carry deadly side effects, such as blood clots.
Birth control pills for women have been available since the 1960s, despite these health-endangering side effects. Two or three out of every 100 women between 15- and 19-years-old who take hormonal contraceptives will become depressed over the course of a year, CNN reported.
“30% of women who take oral birth control pills experience depression and have to take medication for it,” an Indiana University biology professor (who is unaffiliated with the study) told CNN. “So the difference just struck me. They terminated this study once it showed 3% depression for men.”
If scientists will stop a study to minimize side effects for men, why haven’t we done better for women?