Scientists in India have come up with a birth control for men that is 100% effective and lasts a minimum of ten years. You read that correctly, but I’ll repeat it: 100% effective for ten years. The birth control is administered via an injection, called RISUG—an acronym for “Reversible Inhibition of Sperm Under Guidance.” The injection is given to the male through the scrotum, twice during the same session. The procedure totals about fifteen minutes, has no side effects, and is completely reversible.
It works relatively simply. A non-toxic, positively charged polymer is injected into the tube the sperm pass through on the way out of the body. The polymer stays in this tube (there’s no blockage) and zaps the negatively charged sperm with a positive charge, which makes pregnancy impossible.
The RISUG is not available in America, yet. If approved it would revolutionize the way birth control is carried out. Needless to say, this is not the type of things drug companies are interested in; because one dosage lasts upwards of ten years, there is no potential for a great capital gain. The syringe costs more to produce than the drug inside of it.
In spite of this, a company called Parsemus is working on making RISUG accessible to American men (they are also testing the formula on women). RISUG is in the last phase of testing in India, which means it will be option for anyone who wants it within the next few years.
