It's far too impotent

Posted by Evan Derkacz at 7:21 AM on March 1, 2006.

So that's why there's no male birth-control pill

Post Tools
EMAIL
PRINT
4 COMMENTS

This is not a traffic cone.

Share and save this post:

Got a tip for a post?:
Email us | Anonymous form

PEEK RSS Feed

Main AlterNet RSS Feed

The technology is willing but the flesh is weak. At least that's what the developer of the male birth-control pill believes. Via Ann:

"It would be possible to make a male pill today. We know how hormones work and we could use the same principles that are used to make the female pill," Carl Djerassi, 82, told weekly news magazine Sabado.

"The problem is that men are afraid to lose their virility. Even if taking a pill carries only a remote chance of impotence, they won't take the chance," he added.

I don't actually buy that this is the primary obstacle. I mean sure, this is very real phenomenon but pair it with viagra and you get an even more lucrative venture... I'm much more inclined to buy this...

"What does a hormonal contraceptive [like the Pill] represent to a pharmaceutical company?" Weiss asks. "Recurrent sales. It's like women's birth control. They sell it over and over and over again. They want something they can make an ongoing profit from. Business is business."

RISUG [a male contraceptive injection] renders a man infertile for six to 15 years; on the Indian market, it'll cost about $500 for the injection. In contrast, the average American woman spends between $3,000 and $4,000 every 10 years for birth control pills.

(Feministing)

--> Sign up for Peek in your inbox... every morning! (Go here and check Peek box).

Evan Derkacz is a New York-based writer and contributor to AlterNet.

Return to PEEK » Post Tools: EMAIL PRINT 4 COMMENTS PERMALINK

Also in PEEK
Blago: It Just Keeps Getting Stranger Have you noticed that Blagojevich appears to be stark raving mad? Post by Steve Benen. January 9, 2009.	Obama: 'If Paul Krugman Has a Good Idea … Then We're Going to Do It' Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman has been a frequent critic of President-elect Obama. Post by Amanda Terkel. January 9, 2009.	Kucinich Speaks Out Against Congress' Blind Support of Israel "We must take a new direction in the Middle East. Post by Staff. January 9, 2009.

Comments	Turn comments off sitewide	Give us feedback »
Comments closed. The comments for this story have been closed. Thank you to everyone who participated.		View:
SIX TO FIFTEEN YEARS?? [Report this comment] Posted by: Longdream on Mar 1, 2006 8:58 AM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] And you think the only obstacle to widespread use is non-profitability? The injection isn't the equivalent of the low-dose, short-term hormonal birth control that women have available And as all women know, messing with hormones even in low doses has serious side-effects. What kind of fallout should a man expect from an oxen-wallop of an injection that sterilizes him for that length of time? Fallout is right--what is it, liquid radiation? And that nine-year gap! It's a long way between six and fifteen. Here's hoping it's due to dosage, and not just 'maybe six, maybe fifteen, who knows?' I agree that systemic contraception for men is going to be a nearly impossible sell, at least in the American culture, such as it is, but until the statement is, 'it's good and it's available but they won't use it', rather than 'we could make one, but they wouldn't use it', let's reserve judgment. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] » RE: SIX TO FIFTEEN YEARS?? Posted by: rweiss » RE: SIX TO FIFTEEN YEARS?? Posted by: Longdream Reality [Report this comment] Posted by: Xynyx on Mar 5, 2006 10:26 PM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] Reality always gets in the way... The simple fact (at least NOW) is that it is far simpler (with drugs) to control the behavior, availability, responses, etc., of the single egg than it is to control the same with the millions of sperm competing for access to that egg. Both parties should be careful and prepared to be responsible, but the woman is the fertilization and gestation process owner... so she's the one that wins control over the outcome once the male has withdrawn. Legislative attempts to the contrary are simply attempts to subvert the natural order. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

«	January 2009					»
Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
				1	2	3
4	5	6	7	8	9	10
11	12	13	14	15	16	17
18	19	20	21	22	23	24
25	26	27	28	29	30	31

» RE: SIX TO FIFTEEN YEARS?? Posted by: rweiss

» RE: SIX TO FIFTEEN YEARS?? Posted by: Longdream

PEEK archive by date:

Use » and « to view other months.

Search:

» RE: SIX TO FIFTEEN YEARS?? Posted by: rweiss

» RE: SIX TO FIFTEEN YEARS?? Posted by: Longdream