At last it looks like birth control need no longer be the sole responsibility of women all over the world. A new study would appear to have found the long-elusive male contraceptive pill.
After testing a small molecule compound to generate "reversible birth control" in mice, researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Baylor College of Medicine appeared triumphant.
Results of their findings appears in the current issue of Cell, detailing how the compound known as JQ1 decreases both the number and quality of sperm. When JQ1 was discontinued, normal sperm production resumed and wasn't compromised. Testosterone production, mating behaviour, and the health of offspring conceived after use all seemed unaffected by use of JQ1.
Interestingly, JQ1 was originally conceived (no pun) to block the cancer-causing gene, BRD4.
"These findings suggest that a reversible, oral male contraceptive may be possible," said James Bradner, study author and faculty member at Harvard Medical School and the Broad Institute. "While we will be conducting more research to see if we can build on our current findings, JQ1 shows initial promise as a lead compound for male contraception."
So while it's still early days, and remains to be seen if the result is transferrable from rodents to human males, the study is a legitimate reason to get excited. Soon it may well be his turn to remember popping the pill each day. Now, if only scientists could come up with a compound so men could try menstruating, too...
Printer-friendly version