Vasalgel: New Male Contraceptive Passed A Monkey Trial, A Way To End Overpopulation Few Years From Now?

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Ending overpopulation has been a major problem in a lot of developing countries. However, recently with the advancement of technology, the new form of male contraceptive that hinders sperm flow with a gel has been successfully done in monkey trials.

This new type of male contraceptive is Vasalgel that acts as a physical barrier once injected into the lumen the sperm won't get through the gel barrier and would just swim down to the penis. This kind of male contraceptive was inspired by a polymer contraceptive called RISUG®.

In Basic and Clinical Andrology, the researchers behind this experiment say that the study shows that the gel works and very safe - at least in the monkeys. However, researchers hope that within few years it'll be enough to begin a test in men.

Vasalgel is similar to a no-scalpel vasectomy, except the gel is injected into the vas deferens (the tube the sperm swim through) while in vasectomy the vas deferens will be cut. If this male contraceptive will go well and be approved, this would be the first new type of male contraceptive that will strike the market.

With the trial given to the monkeys, the University of California researchers tested the male contraceptive gel on 16 adult male monkeys, 10 were already fathers. The monkeys released back to rejoin female primates after getting a gel injection. When mating happened, none of the female monkeys got pregnant, however, as observed few of the male monkeys' experienced side-effect and one of them went into an operation due to a damaged tube.

"The study shows that in adult male monkeys at least, the gel is an effective form of contraception." Allan Pacey, professor of andrology at the Univesity of Sheffield, said. However, this kind of male contraceptive won't be a tool to fight sexually transmitted infections such as HIV. Watch this video for more information.