"Male contraceptive options have not changed in over a century, and are currently limited to condoms and withdrawal (with high pregnancy rates in typical use), or vasectomy (meant to be permanent). No long-acting, reversible contraceptives are currently available for men.
The demand for new male contraceptive methods is growing. Surveys indicate that the majority of men would be interested in using a new contraceptive, and about 20% of couples already rely on existing male methods for reproductive control. While research has uncovered a variety of new targets for male contraception, no new product has made it to market yet. Many men say they would prefer a non-hormonal option because of the potential side effects and safety risks of hormones. However, studies of hormonal approaches continue to receive the most funding as evidenced by the recent publication of serious side effects in a large study of a hormonal method.
The lack of contraceptive options also impacts those who care for captive populations of non-human primates such as in zoos and breeding programs. Vasectomy has been the only male option available to non-human primate veterinarians who wish to reduce the pregnancy rate in their colonies. The study chronicles the use of Vasalgel in groups of rhesus macaques -- confirming previous preclinical findings in rabbits on the efficacy of the new device and offering a new tool to colony managers.
Vasalgel: A new nonhormonal, long-acting option
Vasalgel is a high molecular weight polymer that consists of styrene-alt-maleic acid (SMA) dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide and could be the first long-acting, non-hormonal, potentially reversible male contraceptive to reach market..."
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