CARRIE AMBER GAXIOLA for

Emerging Technology

Male Birth Control Pill

The Basics: Research for 20-40 years

United States, Australia, Germany, China, Italy, Netherlands

About 10 specialists in the United States

Mar, 2004

How?! Details Please! Pill contains the hormone Progestogen

Affects daily sperm production- brings count down to ZERO!

Takes about 2-3 months to be effective: Same amount of time to reverse

Men receive testosterone injections every 4-6 weeks

Zimmer, 2006, Mar, 2004

Non-hormonal Advances

Inactivating tail of the sperm

Immune System [Immunizations]

Watson, 2005

Serendipity: Discoveries Made While

Studying Other Conditions

Unintended Side Effects of Other Medications Lonidamine: Drug used for cancer treatment Caused sperm production to cease

Medication used to treat Schizophrenia & High Blood Pressure Affects contraction of muscle that moves sperm

Watson, 2005; Weaver, 2008

Choices for Men Available Now… Men account for 30% of contraceptive use in the U.S.

Condoms Only that protect from STDs Failure rate is below 14%

Vasectomy Surgical. 99% successful

Coitus interruptus 35 million rely on this method 4 out of 100 become pregnant if done correctly 27 out of 100 become pregnant of done incorrectly

PP, 2008; George, 2002

Why men may think this is a good idea…

Over a million births each year occur that are unintended by the male involved

42% of 5,000 women polled [U.K.] would lie to a man about being on contraceptive in order to get pregnant [Survey by the National Scuples and Lies Survey]

10% of children turn out not to be the offspring of the assumed father when DNA tests are performed

Child support can cost fathers 15-25% of their take home pay, per child

Widely believed fathers are second class citizens in family courts

Dvorsky, 2008

Resistance, Opposition, & Challenges Real need Population control

Church, Religious Conservatism

FDA

Social & Cultural Views Stigma? Feminine Domain? Sexism

Mar, 2004

The Main Hindrance…

Money!

Pharmaceutical companies do not see a demand.

How can it get off the ground? Can it? Should it?

Get the young on board first?

Target men who may want vasectomies?

Is the timing good?

Is there a need?

Relative Advantage: Preventative Innovation

*Maybe it should be less complex Minus injections?

Opinions. What we know …

•Global survey of 9,000 men, ages 18-50: 55% expressed an interest in a new male fertility control

•40% of American respondents expressed willingness to use an implant or receive regular injections [conducted by Schering; Stacey, 2008]

Yahoo! Answers Q: Scientists are working on creating a birth control pill for men.

One team has come up with a pill that does not affect hormone levels like the female pill does. So far in testing, the prototype has no notable side effects and is reversible once the pill is discontinued. Males: if this pill passes the testing phase and comes out on the market, would you take it? Females, do you have any opinions about this pill as well?

Some of what people said… “… it would be great to have that option, and it would make me more comfortable as a guy of not

having to worry about getting a girl pregnant by accident…”

“…very happy to hear that guys get their turn to do this routine…”

“Any woman who relies on a man remembering to take the pill, and being honest when he forgets it, is going to be a mother very soon! … women should take care of the contraception …”

“… I would take it. and plus, it would reduce the need of women to have to go through all those changes in hormone-levels by discontinuing that pill, if the male birth control pill, proves to be safer and more effective…”

“Good since I won't have to take it. I am happy with my vasectomy.”

Works cited All images from Microsoft Word 2007 ClipArt. Dvorsky, G. (2008). Sorry ladies, the male birth control is not about you. Institute of Ethics and Emerging Technologies. Retrieved October 28, 3008, from http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/dvorsky20080501. George, K. (2002). Male birth control pill studied. Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retreived October 28, 2008, f rom http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/96391_malepill20.shtml Mar, A. (2004). Jagged little pill: Will male birth control even become a reality? Medical Examiner. Retrieved October 28, 2008 from, http://slate.msn.com/id/2107558. Planned Parenthood. (2008). Withdrawal method. Retrieved November 4, 2008 from, http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/birth-control/withdrawal-pull-out- method-4218.htm. Stacey, D. (2008). Men’s Birth Control…The Wait Continues. About.com. Retrieved October 27, 2008 from, http://contraception.about.com/b/2008/08/07/mens-birth-controlthe-wait- continues.htm Watson, S. (2005). How the male birth control pill will work. Howstuffworks.com. Retrieved October 29, 2008 from, http://health.howstuffworks.com/male-bc-pill.htm Weaver, J. (2006). At last! Scientists develop male pill: Single dose, hormone free drug prevents ejaculation of sperm. MSNBC.com. Retrieved October 29, 2008 from, http://www.msnbc.com/id/15937201/print/1/. Zimmer, D. (2006). The Male Contraceptive Pill. AskMen.com. Retrieved October 29, 2008 from, http://www.askmen.com/dating/dzimmer_60/72_love_answers.html. Yahoo Answers: Retrieved November 8, 2008 from http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Al7zVN5eQ4z6ps2PvEYdPTUjzKIX;_ylv=3 ?qid=20061203184501AArl5DW