BIRTH CONTROL PILLS FOR MEN: YOUNG PHARMACISTS WEIGH IN

In the events of the previous week a certain headline has been on our screen “Male contraceptive pills found 99% effective in mice”. The lack of “the pill” for men over the years has placed a disproportionate amount of responsibility on women, who are frequently responsible for managing contraceptive side effects, and this news coming just after the celebration of the international women’s day seems to be a sort of progress. According to Gizmodo’s Ed Cara, the new tablet developed by a team at the University of Minnesota prevents proteins from binding to vitamin A, which is known to be important for mammalian fertility and virility. According to studies presented this week at the American Chemical Society’s annual meeting, the medicine is 99 percent efficient at preventing pregnancy in mice and has no known negative effects.

We took our time to seek the opinions of young pharmacists on this recent development. Here are some of their responses.

Francis Folaranmi (NYSC Pharmacist at FNHYP)

The primary reason individuals wear condoms is to avoid pregnancy, not because of STIs or STDs. This 99 percent effective male contraceptive pill would be an avenue to go the natural way (you know what I mean lol) and this will increase the number of cases of STIs and STDs. So this development is good for birth control, good for the antibiotics market, but bad for the fight against antimicrobial resistance.

Oghogho Rosalie Ijomone (Industrial Pharmacist)

I haven’t read much about it, but I believe it is a positive step forward for birth control, as it will relieve women of the burden of emergency contraception. Despite the fact that postinor is only supposed to be taken once a month, most women take more than that. On the contrary, the prevalence of STDs, particularly HIV, will rise.

Pharm. Okpara Ebere Mercy (NYSC Pharmacist)

It is a good development. Considering the ratio of Sperm to ovum involved in normal reproduction (that a pregnant woman have to wait for more than a nine month cycle for another conception, whereas, males are reproductive at every ejaculation)…it is most appropriate that the male contraception be a focus of population control.

Adeshina Ayomide (Hospital pharmacy)

I love the development

Udoji Desmond (Regulatory Pharmacist)

Well I don’t think it will be met with much acceptability. Because of fear of possible impotence, my thoughts though. Plus the male ego

Oparugo Chizaram (Intern 68 NARHY)

My opinion is that it isn’t necessary since there is already female contraceptive and it should be a development to apply caution.

Adedolapo. (Public health pharmacist)

Personally, I think it is a very much welcome development and should be widely accepted as women should not be left totally to handle birth control. Women already bear way more burden relating to hormonal imbalances; pregnancy, PMS and PCOS. Men should at least be willing to share the responsibility of birth control with their partners. Period.

Obilom Izuchukwu (Intern Pharmacist)

I suppose it’s a good step forward in medical history. Women battle with a lot of hormonal changes due to contraception, if this new innovation can reduce that, then why not? Especially if safe for men. After all, what is good for the goose is good for the gander, no?

Okunrinju Victoria (Intern FNHYP)

I feel its a good development because I have been an ardent advocate for male contraceptive because of the side effects that comes with it and I feel this burden should be shared by both. Though it might increase the risk of STI’s but it is just essential that men are taking something too.

Anonymous

As for me I don’t have any problem with it but I am certainly not taking even if it is 99% safe in human, I don’t want to come and here one story like that of tuskeegee , you k ow the way many multinationals will push data just to arrive at their goal.

According to Hannah Seo of Popular Science, depending on the results of human trials, the drug could soon be the first effective form of birth control for those with testes other than condoms or surgery. In as much as this could be a ground breaking discovery that could be a revolution in the reproductive world, we also need to ensure that we cross all the T’s and dot all I’s on our part as drug custodians so that an intended good would not be a permanent harm.

Compiled by: Ozota Gerald