- Contraceptive developed in India does not use hormones and promises to be a less painful and more effective alternative to vasectomy
An unprecedented vaccine is being developed by scientists at the Indian Institute of Technology. But unlike other injections, it is not intended to prevent disease, but to be a new, long-lasting method of contraception for men.
According to the researchers, the contraceptive Risug (which stands for Reversible Inhibition of Sperm Under Control) should be ready by the end of 2023. The method, which has completed the clinical trial phase, is already considered more efficient than vasectomy and promises protection for up to 10 years.
Risug is a gel made from macromolecules known as styrene maleic anhydride. It is applied to the vas deferens, located in the scrotum and responsible for the conduction of mature sperm to the place where they will join the seminal fluids to compose the semen. The procedure takes just a few minutes and causes damage to the sperm’s tails, preventing them from fertilizing an egg.
The injection was tested on 300 volunteers and was 97% effective, with side effects only swelling and pain in the scrotum in the days after injection. Risug has already completed several human clinical trials and is awaiting approval from Indian health authorities. In the United States, a similar product is also under development, but has not yet completed clinical studies.
Those responsible for developing the new contraceptive claim that the method can be easily reversed with an injection of water and sodium bicarbonate. That way, if the man wants to have biological children, he won’t have to wait until the effects of the injection wear off.
Benefits
Unlike other contraceptive methods, Risug is not hormone-based and therefore does not cause typical side effects such as acne, mood swings, weight gain and bad LDL cholesterol.
Testosterone is the main male hormone: it is responsible for the proper functioning of the men’s body, being fundamental for the reproductive and sexual factor. While in women the hormonal contraceptive is effective, as it inhibits the production of substances necessary for ovulation, in men the reaction would cause serious effects, such as loss of libido, mood swings and erectile dysfunction.
According to the scientists, “in the field of contraception, Risug has several advantages, such as effectiveness, non-interruption before or during sexual intercourse (as is the case with condoms and withdrawal), the long duration of the effect. , reversibility and antibacterial effects”.
The researchers also intend to carry out tests to examine the action of the injection in women – preliminary results suggest that it would have a similar action in the fallopian tubes.