Coming soon to a penis near you — the 'world's first' male contraceptive implant
When it comes to contraception, the burden has largely fallen on women to take responsibility – whether that be by taking the pill, getting the implant or having an IUD inserted.
All of which, of course, come with a whole host of really, really fun potential side effects like nausea, weight gain, acne, mood swings and changes to periods.
Working out which form of contraception to use can be tricky, but this conversation is set to get a lot more interesting…
That's because the 'world's first' contraceptive implant for men could be coming soon to a penis near you – but you've to be pretty, erm, ballsy to try it as it involves an injection into the scrotum.
Previously, men have only really had two options in this department: condoms or a vasectomy. But this new product would be a game-changer if it gets the green light.
Developed by a US-based biotech company called Contraline, the product is known as ADAM, a non-hormonal water-soluble hydrogel, that's been described as a reversible contraceptive alternative.
The gel is injected underneath the scrotum (the sac of skin that contains the testes) into a man's sperm duct. The procedure has been described as 'minimally invasive' and is thought to take around 10 minutes to complete, using local anaesthetic.
The implant blocks sperm from travelling through the vas deferens – which takes sperm from the duct to the urethra – and stops it from mixing with semen, without impacting sensation or ejaculation.
The results of the first round of clinical trials have recently been released and according to Contraline the gel successfully blocked sperm's release for up to 24 months.
After this time, at the end of its lifespan, the gel breaks down and liquifies so that normal fertility can return.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
The first round of testing for the implant saw 25 participants given the implant, but all at different points in time. So far only two of the men have reached the 24 month mark and for both no sperm was detected in their semen.
At present, no serious adverse events have been recorded for any of the participants, but further clinical trials are needed to prove its safety and effectiveness in preventing pregnancy.
As research continues on ADAM, Dr Alexander Pastuszak, Contraline's chief medical officer said: 'Our goal was to create a male contraceptive option lasting two years, responding directly to consumer needs.
'These findings confirm that ADAM, our novel water-soluble hydrogel, can achieve the intended lifespan. We remain optimistic about its safety, efficacy, and reversibility, and its potential to give men and couples greater reproductive control.'
Research from YouGov previously found that one in three sexually active men would consider taking a male contraceptive – around the same percentage of women on the pill in the UK.
At the time of the research, several men told Metro they would be on board with giving male contraception a go, including Thomas Ling, a science writer.
He said: 'Absolutely I'd take it. Why not? It's merely shouldering responsibility. You'd have to be a jerk not to do it.
'It would be a really great thing for women – it would mean they'd have more of a choice, rather than simply being expected to take a hormonal contraceptive potentially long term.
'The biggest impact will be how men see women – they'll have a bit more understanding of what women have been forced to deal with for decades.'
Thomas added: 'I definitely consider myself a feminist, but when first hearing about the side effects such as acne and mood swings, there was a small voice in my head saying 'yeah, I really don't want those. Why should I have to change my body?'. This was obviously then followed a second later with the thumping realisation that's how women have been forced into feeling for decades.'
Jack Ashton also claimed he would be willing to try it, but did voice some concerns.
'I would take it myself, but I believe men might be laxer about taking a contraceptive religiously. We don't have the burden of carrying a child.'
On social media, men seem much less keen on the idea today, with Reddit users branding the idea of the implant injection as 'horrendous', 'horrible' and 'f***ing awful'. Many, instead confessed they'd prefer to simply get the snip. More Trending
A user known as u/dox1842 commented: 'I never had an issue with using condoms. I think it would be good if there were alternatives though but I would stick with the tried and true method.'
While u/Quietus76 wrote: 'These options sound horrifying. I had a vasectomy. I'm not against male birth control, but all of these sound like they would make you miserable, and I'd have serious doubts about their effectiveness.'
'None of that sounds like something I would want to do,' replied u/thehumanbaconater.
View More »
And u/syl702 added: 'Jesys those sound horrible, just get a vasectomy. It's an incredibly simple procedure.'
Do you have a story to share?
Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.
MORE: BBC presenter, 40, announces pregnancy live on air after 'emotional' fertility struggle
MORE: This is what happens to your body when you have babies in quick succession
MORE: Pregnant Jesy Nelson asks for advice from hospital bed after giving health update
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
4 hours ago
- Metro
I'm an ex-flight attendant — there's unexpected protocol for medical emergencies
At 30,000 feet in the air, you really don't want to experience any kind of emergency, but these situations are usually outside our control, as Stephen Graham's story proves. The 51-year-old Adolescence star recently shared the 'scary' moment he had to have an emergency operation on a plane after urinating blood. During an appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers, Stephen explained that he had a blood clot lodged behind his urethra and a surgeon had to perform a catheter procedure right there and then on the flight, which took place in a makeshift operating area between the economy and first class cabins. According to Del Wilden, an ex-flight attendant who worked with British Airways for 26 years, major medical emergencies like this do occur on flights but are relatively rare – he only experienced two in his entire time as cabin crew. In the event that this happens, there are some little-known protocols staff have to follow and Del, a former purser (Senior Cabin Crew Manager), has revealed them to Metro, as well as the one thing most Brits don't realise about cabin crew training. Fuel your wanderlust with our curated newsletter of travel deals, guides and inspiration. Sign up here. In the event of a medical emergency, Del says cabin crew would always start by asking passengers if there was a medical professional on board, and while they were ideally seeking a doctor, nurse or paramedic, there was one other profession help could be accepted from, and it might surprise you. 'We were always told that if a medical professional didn't come forward, but a vet came forward and was prepared to help, we were allowed to accept that, he says. 'We had to get them to sign a form of indemnity before they started to help and it would usually only be if a situation was so serious it warranted help urgently.' Until someone came forward, cabin crew would provide as much first aid assistance as they could and Del claims they have much more rigorous training in this area than most Brits realise. 'Until a professional came forward, we would act accordingly. So if it was a heart attack, we'd commence CPR immediately, while another crew member would gather equipment, like a defibrillator and oxygen, and someone else would keep the captain informed of the situation.' As well as being trained in CPR, Del says he was also taught to deliver a baby, in case someone ever went into labour during a flight. If there were no experts on the flight to help, cabin crew would be able to call a company called MedLink for advice in the event of an on board medical emergency. Each plane also had its own special medical kit on board known as an M5. According to Del, half of the kit was for crew to use, while the other half was intended for professional medical use, and this is where the catheter for Stephen Graham's operation would have been found. As well as medical emergencies, Del says there are two other types of emergencies flight attendants may have to deal with – pre-planned and catastrophic. A pre-planned emergency is a situation that develops during a flight and is something that cabin crew have been prepared to respond to. They'll have protocols in place for dealing with the issue and there's usually a bit more time to handle it. An example of a pre-planned emergency might be that the plane has lost its hydraulics for landing. In a situation like this, Del said there would be an 'alert call' over the PA system from the captain, who would ask the senior cabin crew to report to the flight deck immediately. 'As crew, if you hear that during the service you would put your trolley away and go to your station (door) and await a call from the senior crew member,' he says. When the senior team member returned they would then give their crew what's called a 'NITS' breakdown for the emergency, which stands for nature, intention, time and special instructions. For the hydraulics example, the nature of the emergency would be that the plane has lost the hydraulics, the intention might be to dump some fuel and for time, the pilot might have said they have about 45 minutes until they need to land. In this situation, Del says the special instructions could be not to evacuate the plane immediately once they've landed. Following this, the next step would be for the crew to brief passengers on the situation. 'We would go out into the cabin and we'd all have various positions. The captain would do a PA announcement and tell them that there's a situation and what's happening and then they would play a pre-recorded announcement,' Del explains. More Trending 'This always starts with 'Attention, attention, this is an emergency announcement' and then it would tell passengers to follow the crew's instructions.' He adds: 'We would always go through the announcements twice, because we were taught that passengers won't really take much in the first time as they'll be a bit shell shocked, but once you play it a second time, it starts to sink in.' For a catastrophic emergency, such as a plane crash, there isn't the same amount of time to prepare, so Del says staff who are able to do so would have to act instinctively on whatever the situation is. 'If you survive whatever is happening, there's no time involved to make a plan, you basically based on your training would have to use your instincts and find a way to get passengers out of the plane. But before you open any doors, the most crucial step would be to look for fire or any other kind of danger.' Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: Stephen Graham had emergency operation on a plane after 'very scary' health problem MORE: Ireland has a US border — it could help travellers nervous about Trump's America MORE: 9 UK companies that give staff a share of profits — including bonuses up to £14,000
Belfast Telegraph
4 hours ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Results of cancer prevention initiative to be presented to EU Parliament
The Urban Action Against Cancer (UcanACT) pilot project in Kilkenny saw 62 adults aged 50 and over take part in physiotherapist-led exercise programmes across three parks last year. It was part of a three-city pilot also held in Bologna in Italy, and Munich in Germany, which aims to provide community-based outdoor exercise programmes led by experts as a preventative and cancer support tool for over-50s. The Irish men and women taking part included people living with cancer, cancer survivors and individuals without a diagnosis. The results of the pilot will be presented by Kilkenny County Council, the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists and the EU partners to the EU Parliament on Wednesday for assessment for wider rollout. The project will also be showcased as part of Your Council Day on June 27, which celebrates the services and work carried out by Ireland's county and city councils. Patrick Griffin, a Kilkenny-based prostate cancer survivor, who took part in the pilot said: 'An exercise regime was suggested to me because decreased energy is a common side-effect following radiation therapy. 'I always walked for fitness and never had an interest in gyms, but my wife had mentioned that I was slouching on our walks together,' the 78-year-old said. 'I noticed many benefits as a result of the programme: my posture is better and my overall energy and concentration are stronger. 'The team were so well organised. They were genuinely watching out for each individual, adjusting exercises where needed, which is of massive benefit.' Over three years, Kilkenny County Council led the local implementation of UcanACT, working alongside the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists (ISCP) and EU partners. The project aimed to create a safe space where people could exercise at their own pace, tailored to their abilities, participants reported feeling encouraged and supported. Janette Boran, Healthy Kilkenny co-ordinator at the county council, said participants saw significant benefits. 'Through focus groups, participants shared their positive experiences, highlighting key benefits such as improved fitness, better balance and strength, improved sleep quality, stronger social connections and reduced anxiety,' she said. 'The results of this study also reported that participants had significant reduction in fatigue and improvement in quality-of-life scores. 'Many also mentioned how exercising outdoors was important for their mental wellbeing. 'The programme has received strong support from the participants, and many who took part reported that they were surprised at what they were able to achieve with the guidance of a physiotherapist. 'The sessions were individualised within a group setting, so the full group met together but the activity was very tailored to accommodate the varied needs of the participants.'
NBC News
13 hours ago
- NBC News
At least 1.7 million eggs recalled as CDC and FDA investigate multistate salmonella outbreak
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are investigating a multistate Salmonella outbreak linked to at least 1.7 million eggs, according to a news release issued on Saturday. The brown cage-free and brown certified organic eggs were distributed by the August Egg Company from Feb. 3 through May 15 to retailers in nine states — California, Nevada, Washington, Arizona, Nebraska, New Mexico, Illinois, Indiana and Wyoming, per the FDA. In an announcement issued Friday, the Hilmar, California-based distribution company recalled 1.7 million eggs, which have sell-by dates ranging from March 4 to June 19 and were sold at retailers including Walmart and Safeway, as well as under many different brands that can be seen here. So far, the outbreak has sickened 79 people in New Jersey, Kentucky, Nebraska, Nevada, Arizona, Washington state and California, the CDC said. At least 21 people have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported. 'This outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses, and the true number of sick people is likely much higher than the number reported,' the CDC said. 'This is because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for Salmonella.' Salmonella is a type of bacteria that can make people sick if they consume contaminated food and water, or touch animals, their fecal matter or the areas they live in, according to the CDC. It is 'a leading cause of food-borne illness, hospitalizations, and deaths in the United States and worldwide,' causing about 1.35 million infections in the U.S. every year. Symptoms include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps and can start six hours to six days after consumption of the bacteria. Children under five, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems can become seriously ill as a result of contracting salmonella. The CDC is advising anyone who has the recalled eggs in their home to throw them away or return them to the retailer that sold them. Businesses with recalled eggs should not sell or serve them, and should sanitize any item or surface that came into contact with the eggs. The August Egg Company said it began taking its eggs to an 'egg-breaking facility' to pasteurize them and kill pathogens after learning about the salmonella concern. 'August Egg Company's internal food safety team also is conducting its own stringent review to identify what measures can be established to prevent this situation from recurring,' the company said in a statement. 'We are committed to addressing this matter fully and to implementing all necessary corrective actions to ensure this does not happen again.' This isn't the only salmonella outbreak the U.S. is currently grappling with. Last month, the FDA announced a recall of cucumbers grown by Bedner Growers and distributed by Fresh Start Produce Sales due to a salmonella outbreak that has sickened 45 people and hospitalized 16 across 18 states. The FDA's investigation into the cucumbers is ongoing.
