Male Contraceptive Pill: What to Know

The Male Contraceptive Pill Is Coming — Here's What Indian Men Should Know

This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult a healthcare professional for personal guidance.

Key Takeaways

Several male contraceptive pills are in Phase II and Phase III clinical trials globally
The most promising candidates work by temporarily reducing sperm count without permanent effects on fertility
Indian researchers at ICMR have been working on RISUG (an injectable contraceptive) for over two decades
The contraceptive burden has historically fallen disproportionately on women — this could change everything
Availability in India is likely still 3-5 years away at minimum, but the science is advancing rapidly

For decades, the conversation about contraception has been almost entirely directed at women. The pill, IUDs, implants, injections — the pharmaceutical industry has developed an extensive toolkit for preventing pregnancy, and nearly all of it requires women to alter their hormonal chemistry, undergo procedures, or manage side effects. Men, meanwhile, have had exactly two options: condoms or vasectomy. One is temporary and sometimes resisted; the other is permanent and often feared.

That asymmetry is finally shifting. Multiple male contraceptive pills are now in clinical trials, and the results are promising enough that reproductive health experts are talking about availability within the next 3-7 years. For Indian men specifically, the ICMR's long-running RISUG project adds a uniquely Indian dimension to this story.

Here is what we actually know — stripped of hype, grounded in the current science, and focused on what this means for Indian couples.

How Male Contraceptive Pills Work

The challenge with male contraception is fundamentally different from female contraception. Women produce one egg per month. Men produce approximately 1,000 sperm per second — around 100 million per day. Stopping a single monthly event is pharmacologically simpler than shutting down a continuous, massive production line.

Current approaches fall into two broad categories:

Hormonal Approaches

These use synthetic hormones (typically a combination of testosterone and progestin) to suppress the hormonal signals that drive sperm production. The approach is analogous to how the female pill works — it essentially tells the body's reproductive system to take a break.

The most advanced hormonal candidate is dimethandrolone undecanoate (DMAU), which has completed Phase I trials with promising results: significant sperm count reduction with manageable side effects. A combination of testosterone and nestorone is also in Phase II trials.

Non-Hormonal Approaches

These target sperm production or function without altering the body's hormonal balance. The most publicised is a drug that blocks the retinoic acid receptor alpha (RAR-alpha), which is essential for sperm production. Early trials showed effective sperm count reduction without hormonal side effects.

YCT529, a non-hormonal male contraceptive, entered human trials in 2022 after showing near-complete sperm reduction in mice without observable side effects. Results from human trials are pending.

India's Own Contribution: RISUG

India has been working on male contraception longer than most people realise. RISUG (Reversible Inhibition of Sperm Under Guidance) is an injectable contraceptive developed by Dr. Sujoy K. Guha at IIT Kharagpur, which has been in development since the 1970s.

RISUG works differently from pills: a polymer gel is injected into the vas deferens (the tube that carries sperm), where it partially blocks and chemically incapacitates sperm passing through. The injection lasts up to 13 years and can be reversed with a second injection that dissolves the polymer.

Phase III clinical trials under ICMR supervision have been ongoing, with completion repeatedly delayed. As of the latest reports, the trials have shown high efficacy with minimal side effects, but regulatory approval has been frustratingly slow. An international version called Vasalgel has also been in development.

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Why Has It Taken So Long?

The honest answer involves science, economics, and gender politics.

Scientific complexity: Suppressing continuous sperm production is harder than suppressing monthly ovulation. The bar for efficacy is also higher — even a small number of viable sperm can cause pregnancy.
Side effect tolerance: In clinical trials, male volunteers reported side effects including mood changes, weight gain, and acne — the same side effects that women on hormonal contraception have been told to tolerate for decades. Some trials were paused when review boards deemed these side effects unacceptable, which sparked understandable frustration about double standards.
Economic incentive: Pharmaceutical companies have been slower to invest in male contraception because the female contraceptive market is already profitable. The assumption that men would not use a daily pill has also discouraged development, though surveys consistently show that 50-80% of men express willingness.
Regulatory caution: Since male contraception prevents pregnancy in someone else's body, regulatory agencies have applied stricter safety standards than they do for medications that affect the user directly.

Expert Insight Reproductive health researchers emphasise that the demand for male contraception is not hypothetical. Surveys across India, Europe, and North America consistently show that a majority of men in committed relationships would use a male contraceptive pill if one were available. The barrier is not willingness — it is availability.

What This Means for Indian Couples

India has a contraception landscape that is still heavily skewed toward female sterilisation. According to NFHS-5 data, female sterilisation accounts for approximately 38% of all contraceptive use in India, while male sterilisation (vasectomy) accounts for less than 1%. The pill, IUDs, and condoms make up most of the remaining use.

A male contraceptive pill could fundamentally redistribute the contraceptive burden in Indian relationships. For couples where the woman experiences side effects from hormonal contraception, where cultural attitudes make female contraceptive use difficult, or where both partners want shared responsibility for family planning, this is genuinely transformative.

It also has implications for unmarried individuals and couples in the early stages of relationships, where conversations about contraception can be complicated by social stigma. A man taking responsibility for his own fertility is both a practical solution and a cultural statement about shared accountability.

In the Meantime

Until male contraceptive pills are available, the existing options remain important. Condoms are the only method that provides both pregnancy prevention and STI protection — and when used correctly, they are highly effective. Finding the right fit and using them properly makes a significant difference in both effectiveness and pleasure.

For couples seeking additional protection or enhanced comfort during intimacy, pairing condoms with a water-based lubricant like MyMuse Glide (Rs 399) reduces the risk of breakage while improving the experience for both partners.

Male Contraceptive Pill FAQ

When will the male contraceptive pill be available in India?

The most optimistic estimates suggest 3-5 years for international availability, with Indian availability potentially following shortly after. RISUG, the Indian-developed injectable, has been closer to approval for years but has faced repeated delays. Realistically, widespread availability is likely in the late 2020s at the earliest.

Will the male pill affect fertility permanently?

All current candidates are designed to be fully reversible. Clinical trials have shown that sperm production returns to normal within weeks to months of stopping the medication. The pills suppress sperm production temporarily, not permanently. Similarly, RISUG is designed to be reversed with a simple dissolving injection.

What side effects can men expect?

Hormonal approaches may cause side effects similar to those women experience on the pill: mood changes, weight fluctuation, acne, and changes in libido. Non-hormonal approaches aim to avoid these entirely. Side effect profiles vary between candidates, and ongoing trials are specifically focused on finding formulations with the most favourable balance.

Would a male pill protect against STIs?

No. Like the female contraceptive pill, the male pill would prevent pregnancy only. Condoms remain the only widely available method that provides STI protection. In practice, couples in committed relationships might use the pill for pregnancy prevention, while condoms would still be recommended for new or non-monogamous partnerships.

Why should men care about contraception when women already have options?

Because contraception is a shared responsibility, not a unilateral burden. Hormonal contraception causes real side effects for many women. Female sterilisation is a surgical procedure. IUDs require medical insertion. The idea that only one partner should bear the physical and pharmacological burden of preventing pregnancy is an outdated expectation that benefits nobody.