New Hope for Safe, Reversible Male Birth Control Pill
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Contributed by William Angelos| 14 November, 2004  16:19 GMT
 New approach could lead to very important male contraceptive.
Recent studies show that a form of birth control known as immunocontraception may work for men. The experiments, which were designed by a University of North Carolina team and conducted in India with macaque monkeys, are described in the November 12 issue of the journal Science.
It should be possible to create a safe, effective and readily reversible form of contraception for men, the studies suggest.
The experiments involved immunizing fertile male monkeys with a purified recombinant form of Eppin, a harmless protein produced in the testis and epididymis of humans and other primates.
Although they bred, none of the males fertilized female macaques until after researchers discontinued the Eppin. Then, most of the animals succeeded in reproducing again. All remained healthy.
Non-Hormonal Method
"These results are exciting to us," said Dr. Michael G. O |
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