Women may cease to worry about pregnancy and how to prevent it, as the world’s first injectable male birth control may finally be on its way to approval in India.
The Indian Council of Medical Research has successfully completed clinical trials of the world’s first injectable male contraceptive, which has been sent to the Drug Controller General of India for approval, Hindustan Times says, citing researchers involved in the project.
The contraceptive is effective for 13 years, after which it loses its potency.
“It is designed as a replacement for surgical vasectomy, which is the only male sterilisation method available in the world,” it adds.
While the trials lasted, 303 candidates were recruited, with 97.3% success rate and no reported side-effects.
“The product can safely be called the world’s first male contraceptive,” said a senior scientist with ICMR, Dr. RS Sharma, who led the researchers.
Explaining further, Sharma said, “The contraceptive is a polymer that has to be injected under local anaesthesia in the sperm-containing tube near the testicles (vas deferens) by a registered medical professional.”
The manufacture, sale and distribution of new medical innovation in India requires approval from DCGI, which conducts its own checks before clearing it.
