Male contraceptive injection ‘Vasalgel’ could arrive by 2017

Men could be able to benefit from a new type contraception within three years, and it doesn’t involve condoms.

The non-profit organisation Parsemus Foundation, who are involved in the production of low-cost medical treatment options, are using baboons to conduct clinical trials on a pioneering male birth control injection that will apparently cost ‘less than a flat screen TV’.

The contraceptive injection is currently named Vasalgel, and the makers hope it will be cheap, long-lasting and most importantly, reversible. It involves a health professional injecting a ‘polymer’ into the vas deferens – a thick, muscular tube that connects the testes to the urethra and where sperm travel through to get to the penis.

So far, clinical trials have involved three male baboons being injected with the drug. Each male was then left to share living space with 10-15 female baboons for six months. Remarkably, none of the females became impregnated after the six months.

The drug makers say after a year they will be able to have more information about Vasalgel’s efficacy, with the hope for human clinical trials to start in 2015.

Should the man and his partner change their mind about children, the man can have the procedure reversed with another polymer gel that is injected to get rid of the Vasalgel that is working to block the sperm. The only downside about an injection contraceptive is that unlike condoms, they will not provide any protection against a whole range of sexually transmitted infections such as chlamydia, genital herpes, gonorrhoea, and many more.

Vasalgel’s official website says the contraceptive is a “long-acting, nonhormonal contraceptive similar to vasectomy but with one significant advantage: it is likely to be more reversible. The procedure is similar to a no-scalpel vasectomy, except a gel is injected into the vas deferens (the tube the sperm swim through) rather than cutting the vas (as is done in vasectomy). If a man wishes to restore flow of sperm, whether after months or years, the polymer is flushed out of the vas with another injection.”

The idea of Vasalgel partly came about from a different male contraceptive also in the works, tentatively named RISUG. Both block the vas deferens through the use of a gel, but RISUG and Vasalgel are formulated differently.

It is yet unclear for what time span the Vasalgel injection would be effective for as a contraceptive means, but the RISUG injection has been said to last for around 10 years.

A Parsemus Foundation spokesperson said: “We want to get Vasalgel on the market as soon as possible, but all the proper efficacy and safety testing needs to be completed. Vasalgel is currently in animal testing, with human trials expected to start in early 2015 and 2015-2016 (larger trials). If everything goes well and with enough public support, we hope to get Vasalgel on the market in 2016-2017.”

The company are now requesting public donations to aid the human clinical trials set to begin next year.

Millions of fake condoms in circulation across the UK

The government’s health regulator has warned that an ever-increasing number of counterfeit condoms are managing to be smuggled into the United Kingdom.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulation Agency (MHRA) say that in fact millions of bogus, dangerous fake condoms have been illegally imported into Britain in the previous 18 months.

Family planning experts stress than the fake condoms increase the risk of transmission of Sexually Transmitted Infections such as chlamydia, genital herpes, gonorrhoea, as well as failing to properly protect against any unwanted pregnancies. Tests have been conducted on the fakes and an alarmingly high burst rate has been discovered in them.

Danny Lee-Frost, senior investigator at the MHRA, said: “These products are made in the Far East for pennies and then sold over here for pounds. They will cut corners. They will cut costs. They will use cheaper ingredients and materials.”

Mr Lee-Frost advises men to be vigilant and says that the counterfeit condoms are primarily being sold in corner shops, newsagents and market stalls. He continued: “It’s vital that people buy condoms from well-known reputable retailers and pharmacies.”

Only last year, authorities seized roughly £1.5 million worth of counterfeit condoms at Heathrow Airport and that haul was just the latest in many that are happening across the country according to Trading Standards.

Incredibly, in the battle against the millions of fake condoms in circulation, trained sniffer dogs have even been drafted in to detect bogus condoms. Authorities have resorted to such drastic measures after growing concern that the counterfeits are becoming increasingly difficult to spot against the genuine articles.

Paul Maddox is currently training the dogs to sniff out and fake condoms and comments: “I was really surprised when I found out about the problem. I’ve heard about counterfeit medicines but I never thought condoms would ever be an issue. When we’ve trained the dogs up we managed to find a chink in the counterfeiters’ armour and we’ve exploited that. That’s why the dogs have been successful.”

One reporter actually put the fakes to the test and approached two males on the street, 25 year old Jay Dhadwa, and 24 year-old Ricky Dixon, asking them if they could distinguish the genuine condoms from the fakes.

Mr Dhadwa said: “I can’t believe they aren’t the real deal. They look and feel exactly like real ones. They’ve got the expiry date on the back too and the kite mark. It’s impossible to tell.”
Danny Lee-Frost commented: “They certainly look the part. Many people would think it’s the proper article .If you’re not buying it from a reputable source, it’s odds on that it is counterfeit and you shouldn’t go anywhere near it.”

As Mr Lee-Frost states, contraception for both men and women should only be purchased from a highly reputable source such as Medical Specialists Pharmacy. Every medication or product dispatched to our patients is 100% genuine and their health is at the core of our business practice. We have a wide range of both Durex and Skins condoms at great prices from our chemist shop. However, if you suspect you may have used a low-quality fake condom, we offer a Clamelle chlamydia test kit for just £24.85 which can be used in the privacy of your own home to prevent an embarrassing visit to your GP. Or, if you have been confirmed as having this or gonorrhoea, the antibiotic Azithromycin can prevent the spread of the bacteria so that your body’s natural defences can fight back and remove the infection from your system. We also have the medication Valtrex working out as costing just £3.50 per tablet, which works by slowing the spread of the herpes virus.