Chronological coverage updated 1st October 2026 06:42.
Update 1 · 1st October 2026
Reversible Male Contraceptives Expected Within Five to Ten Years, Says WHO
Reversible hormonal contraceptives for men could become commercially available within five to ten years, according to a landmark projection by the World Health Organization. The development marks the first major addition to male birth control options since rubber condoms were introduced in the 1850s and modern vasectomies emerged in the late 19th century.
Unlike female hormonal contraceptives, which regulate cyclical ovulation, male treatments must manage continuous sperm production. Modern scientific approaches focus primarily on testosterone-based treatments that signal the brain to temporarily halt sperm synthesis while maintaining healthy systemic hormone levels throughout the body.
The Guardian reportedly quoted Richard Anderson (professor of clinical reproductive science at Edinburgh University) as saying: “While there have been refinements focused on optimal drug formulations, the fundamentals have remained the same.”.
Decades of Slow Scientific Progress
Although research into male hormonal contraception began nearly 50 years ago, progress toward market availability has been extraordinarily slow. Proof-of-concept clinical trials conducted by the WHO in the late 1980s demonstrated that weekly testosterone injections successfully suppressed sperm counts to zero in a majority of participants.
Initial WHO clinical trials in the late 1980s showed that over 60 percent of male participants achieved a zero sperm count using testosterone injections as their sole contraceptive method. — according to World Health Organization.
The slow timeline contrasts sharply with the rapid deployment of the female contraceptive pill. Introduced in trial form in the United States during the 1950s, the female pill gained regulatory approval by 1960 and was adopted by 1.2 million American women within two years. In the UK, where the pill was introduced in 1961, approximately 70 percent of women have used it at some point in their lives.
Despite limited male options, roughly 30 percent of couples worldwide currently rely on male-oriented contraceptive methods. Health organizations emphasize that expanding reversible options for men is crucial for addressing global family planning needs, given that nearly half of all pregnancies worldwide remain unintended.
- The World Health Organization expects male reversible hormonal contraception to be commercially available within 5 to 10 years.
- Testosterone-based formulations temporarily switch off continuous sperm production without disrupting healthy baseline hormone levels.
- Nearly half of all global pregnancies are unintended, highlighting the urgent need for expanded male contraceptive options.
