The Male Contraceptive Pill Is A Step Closer But People Have Their Doubts

A male pill has proved 99% effective against pregnancy... in mice. Here's how humans are reacting.
Toshiro Shimada via Getty Images

A birth control pill for men has been found to be 99% effective in preventing pregnancy in tests.

There’s a major caveat to that news: the tests were on mice. But scientists at the spring meeting of the American Chemical Society shared the news that their non-hormonal male contraceptive pill prevented pregnancy in the rodents twithout obvious side effects. Human trials are set to follow later this year.

After decades of discussion around male contraception, there is growing hope that a male pill could relieve the ongoing contraceptive burden on women.

Surprisingly perhaps, a YouGov survey in 2018 found that a third (33%) of men would theoretically consider taking the pill if it was available.

And in 2019, at least one male pill, which contained hormones to stop sperm production, passed initial human safety tests.

This latest news certainly has social media talking. Though plenty are excited at the prospect, both men and women took to Twitter to express their doubts, too – either about taking the pill or trusting someone else to take it.

Here’s what people have been saying about the developments.

A male pill has been a long time coming

There should’ve been male birth control by now. We have the pill, shot, implant, IUD, and many variations of what I just listed

— BUSTY RHODES ❤️🔥 (@IdaBWelps) March 24, 2022

And for many women it can’t come soon enough

Male contraceptive pill is 99% effective
I hope many men get serious about it and start using it

— Kerry 🇰🇪 (@kerubo_hillary) March 24, 2022

Any man that is blindly complaining about the male contraceptive pill needs to check themselves. Pregnancy is not just a woman’s responsibility 🗣

— Jess 🌙 (@ic_ca) March 24, 2022

When the male pill is released it should become primarily the male responsibility to take it for the next 50 years to even things out.

— Estebantz (@ActingTheGom) March 23, 2022

To be fair, many men are ready to join the queue

gimme me that 99% effective male contraceptive pill immediately imma pop those things non stop til I die

— Caolán (@Caolan_Walsh) March 24, 2022

And someone was always going to land this one

Male contraceptive pill deemed safe and effective in mice.

Rather puts into perspective the question....

....are you a man or a mouse?

— Alan Gibbons (@mygibbo) March 23, 2022

There have been plenty of ‘side effects’ jokes, too

But women are raising eyebrows at the ‘no side effects’ bit

Male contraceptive pill with no side effects, you say???
Me with my contraceptive that have been causing depression, weight gain and numerous other side effects... #thismorning pic.twitter.com/KsTbvuQVga

— Lois. 🇺🇦 💛💙 (@Hello_Lois) March 24, 2022

men being concerned about the potential side effects of a male birth control pill is HILARIOUS to me.

— selina kyle 🐈⬛ (@TheHorrorHottie) March 23, 2022

Oh go away.

Course the researchers went out of their way to create a male pill free of hormonal side effects.

Lucky male mice pups. https://t.co/FEWYjhvzwk

— Jodie Rogers (@jodierog) March 23, 2022

Nor are all women sure they’d even trust a man to take it

He gon say he on the pill. She thinking the new contraceptive male pill . Whole time he meant a perc https://t.co/VDJ8Ge2DLV

— etobes (@re4medconsoomer) March 23, 2022

According to straight women, men barely wipe their ass properly or receive regular physical examinations. So, them taking a male contraceptive in pill form is an incredible stretch. Good luck to you all.

— Rita Rich 🤌🏾✨ (@_ritahawk) March 23, 2022

They’ll continue taking their own, thank you very much

Other people are worried this could lead to a rise in STDs

Male birth control cool & all, now may we plz have a pill that shields us from all STD’s to mix with it.

— BROKE (@NotPawPaw) March 24, 2022

But still, there are some major props for the scientists

The mf who creates the male birth control pill better get a Nobel peace prize

— YvngRain 🌎☄️💕 ® (@RainGxd) March 22, 2022

And at least some women know how they’ll be picking partners from now on

Future boyfriend criteria is

“are they willing to take the male contraceptive pill?”

No = jog on

— Ellie-Mae Brady (@elliemaebrady) March 24, 2022
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