New type of male contraception injection.

Morag

http://techcitement.com/culture/the-best-birth-control-in-the-world-is-for-men/#.T312pOLC10x

f I were going to describe the perfect contraceptive, it would go something like this: no babies, no latex, no daily pill to remember, no hormones to interfere with mood or sex drive, no negative health effects whatsoever, and 100 percent effectiveness. The funny thing is, something like that currently exists.

The procedure called RISUG in India (reversible inhibition of sperm under guidance) takes about 15 minutes with a doctor, is effective after about three days, and lasts for 10 or more years. A doctor applies some local anesthetic, makes a small pinhole in the base of the scrotum, reaches in with a pair of very thin forceps, and pulls out the small white vas deferens tube. Then, the doctor injects the polymer gel (called Vasalgel here in the US), pushes the vas deferens back inside, repeats the process for the other vas deferens, puts a Band-Aid over the small hole, and the man is on his way. If this all sounds incredibly simple and inexpensive, that’s because it is. The chemicals themselves cost less than the syringe used to administer them. But the science of what happens next is the really fascinating part.

The two common chemicals — styrene maleic anhydride and dimethyl sulfoxide — form a polymer that thickens over the next 72 hours, much like a pliable epoxy, but the purpose of these chemicals isn’t to harden and block the vas deferens. Instead, the polymer lines the wall of the vas deferens and allows sperm to flow freely down the middle (this prevents any pressure buildup), and because of the polymer’s pattern of negative/positive polarization, the sperm are torn apart through the polyelectrolytic effect. On a molecular level, it’s what supervillains envision will happen when they stick the good guy between two huge magnets and flip the switch.

With one little injection, this non-toxic jelly will sit there for 10+ years without you having to do anything else to not have babies. Set it and forget it. Oh, and when you do decide you want those babies, it only takes one other injection of water and baking soda to flush out the gel, and within two to three months, you’ve got all your healthy sperm again.

The trouble is, most people don’t even know this exists. And if men only need one super-cheap shot every 10 years or more, that’s not something that gets big pharmaceutical companies all fired up, because they’ll make zero money on it (even if it might have the side benefit of, you know, destroying HIV).

If this sounds awesome for you or your loved one, get the word out. Share this article. Or this link. Or this one. Or this one. Sign this petition. Do something! A revolutionary contraceptive like this needs all the support it can get.

UPDATE: A lot of people are asking to be kept in the loop. So here’s the clinical trial/mailing list sign-up from the Parsemus Foundation to get further information about this procedure’s development. And again, please fill out the short non-spam petition to get the procedure funded and keep buzz going.

Mad to think it could be that straight forward and inexpensive.
If it was an option I wonder if many Irish men would avail of it.

holystungun9

Try a beef injection every once in a while. Will put you right off.

28064212

Sharrow wrote: »

Mad to think it could be that straight forward and inexpensive.
If it was an option I wonder if many Irish men would avail of it.

Apparently not: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056287933

Logical Fallacy

I'd get it, but I still would use condoms.

My plan is to be baby free for life, a large part of the success of that plan involves not believing anything is 100% effective.

KTRIC

Lost me at small incision into scrotum :eek:

Condoms work for me thanks very much .

Sonics2k

Yeah, I kinda have to admit once I saw the words "makes a small pinhole in the base of the scrotum, reaches in with a pair of very thin forceps, and pulls out the small white vas deferens tube".

Pinhole or not, that just sounds... unpleasant.

amacachi

Yeah that's not happening.

Daftendirekt

I'd definitely go for that. Sounds pretty ingenious.

I'd be taking the 100% effectiveness claim with pinch of salt, though. At least until the treatment becomes a bit more widespread.

krudler

that sounded great until the slicing open your nutsack and sticking a needle in a tube attached to your genitals part.

even with being numbed down there, I'm sitting cross legged now thinking about it.

will be interesting to see if it does take off though, I definitely wouldnt rely on it being 100% effective alone but if you were in a relationship and she was on the pill and you had that then it'd be pretty reliable I'd imagine.

BigDuffman

Logical Fallacy wrote: »

I'd get it, but I still would use condoms.

My plan is to be baby free for life, a large part of the success of that plan involves not believing anything is 100% effective.

Condoms aren't a 100% effective form of contraception.

I'd go for that. Only issue is that if its a "new" form of contraception with no known side effects. I'd just be worried I couldn't start making the childer when I wanted to!

G-Money

I don't think I'd have much of an issue getting this done, doesn't bother me that much.

I guess the awkward bit would be if it definitely works and you didn't tell your partner and she rocks up one day telling you she's pregnant...

Sonics2k

BigDuffman wrote: »

Condoms aren't a 100% effective form of contraception.

I'd go for that. Only issue is that if its a "new" form of contraception with no known side effects. I'd just be worried I couldn't start making the childer when I wanted to!

I believe he meant condoms as well as the injection.

Logical Fallacy

BigDuffman wrote: »

Condoms aren't a 100% effective form of contraception.

I'd go for that. Only issue is that if its a "new" form of contraception with no known side effects. I'd just be worried I couldn't start making the childer when I wanted to!

Indeed, which is why me and my fiance combine them with other forms of contraception.

I am unsure how you picked up from my post that i thought condoms were 100% effective.

The Corinthian

If popularly adopted, it would see a collapse in 'accidental' pregnancies amongst 30-somethings.

Star Lord

I think that if required, I'd go for this rather than have the gf continue with the pill/similar alternatives that screw with the body chemistry.

I'd imagine it'd be done under local/topical anaesthetic, so you'd feel almost nothing.

Mickey Dazzler

Sound interesting. Hole in nut sack not so interesting.

Dolbert

Hopefully it will take off, it would be great for men to have more control over their fertility

the_syco

Daftendirekt wrote: »

I'd be taking the 100% effectiveness claim with pinch of salt, though. At least until the treatment becomes a bit more widespread.

From what I remember of the topic from last year when I read about it, it's very good so far. Also, it's meant to be reversible which is the biggest advantage over the normal "snip" (which in itself is not without failure).