Male contraceptives coming down the pipeline

Medicinal birth control has traditionally been the sole territory of females, but the UW, in cooperation with the World Health Organization and other international researchers, is hoping to impart a shift.

New research into male contraceptives will be revealed at a conference today hosted by UW endocrinologist and chairman of the department of medicine Bill Bremner. Bremner and his colleagues from around the world will gather at the Edgewater Hotel in Seattle to showcase their theoretical and experimental research into new potential birth control methods.

Some of the methods in clinical trial include a male version of the birth control pill, a hormonal treatment and an implant that blocks sperm.

"Already, men are covering a third of all birth control responsibilities through condoms and vasectomy procedures," said Elaine Lissner, director of the Male Contraception Information Project. "One method is not perfect, and the other is permanent."

Lissner believes that a shift of responsibility is doubly beneficial; women will no longer have to suffer through unpleasant hormonal side effects and men will no longer have to contend with unplanned parental responsibilities.

"If I were a guy, I'd want [birth control treatments] when I turned 16," Lissner said.

But don't plan a trip to the pharmacy just yet: Male contraceptives may not be available for several years to come.

"The holdups are that there's a lot of basic research being done in animals, but when you're talking about research in men, you're talking millions of dollars," Lissner said.

Bremner and his colleagues will showcase their research partly in the hopes of catching the eyes of potential investors. In addition to a multi-million dollar grant from the National Institutes of Health, the Gates Foundation and others have expressed interest, Lissner said.

Even if they jump the funding hurdle, researchers will still have to contend with the Food and Drug Administration, which means they will need to address potential side effects.

"Hormonal treatments take a few months to work and then a few months for sperm production to return to normal," said UW reproduction biologist Patty Garcia. "Our goal is for [sperm production] to be turned back on."

Other devices have demonstrated little to no side effects, although more testing is required, Garcia said.

Bremner and his colleagues aim to have male contraceptives on the market in the next five to 10 years, if not sooner.

More information about clinical research and contraceptive devices can be accessed at NewMaleContraception.org.

[Reach reporter Jeff Tripoli at news@thedaily.washington.edu.]