We have more birth control options than Sarah Jessica Parker has shoes. But there’s a problem: They’re not yet widely available in male styles.
Although women can take a daily pill, get a monthly injection, wear a patch or use a barrier method, men’s options still come in only one form: condoms.
That lack of diversity means a lot of people aren’t using contraception, which is at least partly because they can’t find a method they like. A new study from the Kaiser Family Foundation reports that 70 percent of young adults have taken a pregnancy test and two out of five have been pregnant–surprisingly high statistics given the number of contraceptives out there.
The fact that so many of us still have “accidents” shows that most of us still are desperately seeking that Holy Grail of a contraceptive device–one that’s convenient, safe and doesn’t interfere with the pursuit of pleasure. Despite its yet-undiscovered popularity, scientists have already found the answer: the Male Pill.
Researchers at the University of Edinburgh have found that the combination of a daily pill containing progestin, a synthetic steroid, and a testosterone-releasing capsule placed under the skin successfully reduce sperm counts. In fact, 11 of the 66 experiment participants were so happy with the hormones that they decided to continue taking them after the experiment was over.
Doubters contend that men would refuse to take the pill or lie to women about taking it, but those doubts are unfounded. The World Health Organization reports that two-thirds of men surveyed said they would take oral contraceptives, and almost 100 percent of the women surveyed said they would trust their partner to take them. And 80 percent of women said they wanted a Male Pill–another sign that current contraceptive options just aren’t good enough.
The only thing keeping male pills out of our bedrooms is that drug companies still aren’t willing to take the financial risk to mass-produce them.
They’re worried the Male Pill wouldn’t sell, a problem a successful advertising campaign could easily fix. After all, women were afraid of the Pill in the 1950s, and now more than 80 percent of American women take oral contraception at some point in their lives.
A determined drug company could draw on a variety of techniques to market their product. A tanned, muscular man could dive into a pool, show off a barely visible testosterone implant under his Speedo, and tell the camera how free and independent he feels since starting the Pill. Or a group of men having beers could talk about how happy they are with their Pills, perhaps talking about the beneficial side-effects such as clearer skin and not having to worry about a sneaky woman tricking him into impregnating her.
Just as the Food and Drug Administration encouraged drug companies to produce the morning-after pill for women, they should also encourage drug companies to produce the Male Pill. Why should women have to bear the entire burden of hormonal contraception in long-term relationships?
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Talk back
Hey guys, would you take the Male Pill? Rita wants to know. E-mail
Ritaredeye@tribune.com
