Male Contraceptive Gel Found to be 100-Percent Effective in Monkey Trials

In a recent study using monkeys, an injectable gel has proven to be 100 percent effective as a male contraceptive.

Called Vasalgel, the nontoxic, non-hormonal substance is injected into the vas deferens, forming a barrier that blocks the travel and exit of sperm from the testes. The Parsemus Foundation, the non-profit that funded the research, describes the procedure in a helpful infographic, included below.

As Vasalgel does not affect hormone levels or sperm production, there are no known side-effects from the procedure, which is also said to be fully reversible via ultrasound waves that dissolve the gel.

For the study, 16 rhesus monkeys were selected to undergo the procedure before being placed back into groups with fertile females during mating season. After being monitored for six months, the researchers found that no pregnancies had occurred—the typical pregnancy rate in such unaffected conditions is usually around 80 percent.

The Parsemus Foundation says human trials should begin as soon as the proper funding has been acquired. For more on the procedure, you can visit the foundation’s website here, and check out the infographic below.