The Facts
- A new study has reportedly produced promising results in mice for a male contraceptive drug that temporarily and rapidly reduces fertility. The treatment reportedly works by inactivating soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC) — an enzyme critical to enabling sperm to propel themselves forward.
- Researchers tested the treatment in the form of a compound titled TDI-11861 on 52 mice — no pregnancies resulted from subsequent mating with female mice, in contrast to a control group, which saw almost one-third of mates impregnated.
- Subsequent observations showed the drug was fully effective in limiting sperm mobility for around two hours after being administered — full fertility had returned to the mice within 24 hours. The contraceptive did not cause any adverse side effects during the trials.
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The Spin
Left narrative
This study is a hugely positive step after the overturning of Roe v. Wade has made the prevention of unplanned pregnancies more critical than ever. Men are involved in one hundred percent of unplanned pregnancies yet face the consequences of them far less frequently than women. In a climate increasingly hostile towards abortion — even to female autonomy at all — males must take greater responsibility for the consequences of their sexual activity.
Right narrative
Channeling such time, funding, and effort into research for the development of a male contraceptive pill is a waste. Even if this new study could develop a drug that isn't plagued by the myriad of side effects seen in previous tests, low demand among men and the likelihood of a much higher rate of forgetfulness and poor administration make it unlikely to be very effective. The media needs to stop reporting on research into male contraception as if it would be some kind of pharmacological holy grail.
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