According to the Hindustan Times (HT), the world’s first injectable male birth control may finally be approved in India.
Indian researchers announced that they have completed clinical trials of RISUG, an injectable male birth control. RISUG stands for Reversible Inhibition of Sperm Under Guidance.
The researchers said the product is injected in the testicles under local anesthesia and can last up to 13 years. The product has now been submitted for approval to the Drug Controller General of India, the Indian drug regulatory body.
Senior scientists Dr. R.S. Sharma from the Indian Council of Medical Research told HT, “The product is ready, with only regulatory approvals pending.”
The clinical trial involved more than 300 men. The researchers found that the product had a nearly 97 percent success rate at preventing pregnancy.
In RISUG, a polymer is injected into the vas deferens that carry sperm from the testicles, blocking the sperm from leaving the tubes.
According to Bloomberg, the effect of RISUG can be reversed with another injection that can break down the polymer.
Bloomberg also reported that the researchers are initially seeking RISUG approval as permanent birth control, like a vasectomy.
It is expected it would take about six or seven months to get the green signal from the drug regulatory body for the manufacturing of RISUG.
In the United States, a similar injectable male birth control known as Vasalgel is under development. In fact, in 2017, American researchers published a study that showed Vasalgel could be effective at preventing pregnancy in monkeys; however, it still needs to undergo trials in humans, according to Live Science.
