Human trials beginning - for non-hormonal male contraceptive?!

[Lenona]

Oddly, there have been very few discussions at Reddit this year about non-hormonal methods - specifically, at the "Male Birth Control" community.

Elsewhere, from August:

"The Latest on Male Birth Control Options"

https://www.menshealth.com/health/a41020328/male-birth-control-options/

Excerpt:

...Vas-occlusives are a type of non-hormonal contraception that blocks sperm in the vas deferens. A company called Contraline created a hydrogel, called ADAM, that’s injected into the vas deferens to block sperm from mixing with the semen that’s ejaculated. The company says the product doesn’t affect sensation or ejaculation, and the gel dissolves after about a year, so it’s not permanent

“It’s kind of like a male IUD,” says Dr. Smith-Harrison, who’s done some work for Contraline. MCI has also helped fund ADAM, which began human clinical trials earlier this year...

From September:

"Hard decisions: Do new options mean it’s time men took more responsibility for birth control?"

https://www.euronews.com/next/2022/09/14/beyond-condoms-do-new-options-mean-men-will-take-more-responsibility-for-birth-control

What really caught my eye was what Vahdat said.

(Heather Vahdat is the executive director of Male Contraceptive Initiative, which is based in North Carolina.)

Excerpt:

...So why is it taking so long? "It really has been funding," said Vahdat.

Case in point: her non-profit, MCI, is the second-largest funder of research into male birth control after the National Institutes of Health, with just $1.5 million (€1.5 million) in grants each year - a drop in the ocean of drug research.

“That’s the one thing that hasn't increased. People are knocking on our doors, but none of them have cheques in hand,” she said.

MCI and the Population Council say the pharmaceutical industry’s traditional risk-benefit model has caused companies to leave this field virtually untouched.

"If you think of taking a healthy patient, disabling a function (reproduction) and promising it can be restored, that’s more risky in terms of return than treating a disease," Vahdat explained...


From Nov. 10th:

https://medcitynews.com/2022/11/one-step-closer-to-iud-for-men-doctors-inject-first-humans-with-male-contraceptive-gel/

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Here's what I DID find at Reddit:

https://www.reddit.com/r/MaleBirthControl/

https://www.reddit.com/t/male_birth_control/
(oddly, these are NOT in chronological order, but they're still interesting)

https://www.google.com/search?q=reddit+male+birth+control&rlz=1CAJMBU_enUS1031&oq=reddit+male+birth+control&aqs=chrome..69i57.4588j0j1&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

And I can't imagine why there would be a lot of men interested in better options - but NO men, apparently, who are interested in funding, as Vahdat implied.

Obviously, one shot that works for several years isn't going to be profitable in the way that a daily pill would be - and already is, when the consumers are female.

But if men really want new methods they have to SAY so. Loudly. All they have to do to get started is to get married men to go on TV and say "yes, we'll pay for it once it's on the market - our wives can't use hormonal methods!"

Don't Expect a Supply Without a Visible Demand.