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Shutterstock/Dobo Kristian

The 'male pill' could be coming, it's in jab form and it works

Side-effects could delay it actually happening though.

A MALE CONTRACEPTIVE jab has proven to be 96% effective but reported side-effects could delay it being made widely available.

The Guardian reports that a trial of 350 men saw them being given injections of hormones that effectively stops the production of sperm.

The men were given an initial injection and continued to use other birth control methods before entering the “efficacy phase” of the study. At that point they stopped using other methods and received more jabs every two months.

The hormones involved were progestogen, to switch off sperm production, and testosterone to balance out the drop in the male hormone.

The efficacy rate of 96% is similar to that achieved by the female combined pill.

The trial was judged to have “unacceptable side-effects” including depression, acne and increased libido with 20 men dropping out of the trial early.

Early stages of the trial in 2011 also had to be halted due to the side-effects reported.

Of the 1,491 incidents reported during the early stages of the study, 39% were found to be unrelated to the treatment. These included one suicide and one man who reported irregular heartbeats.

Despite the side-effects reported by some, three-quarters of the men who completed the study said they would be willing to use the contraceptive jab on a long-term basis.

Read: Ethiopia was given 69 million condoms… but might have to throw them all out >

Read: ‘I had sex with 40 women… I never did use condoms’: Call for increased sex-ed in care homes >

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47 Comments
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    Mute Alexandra Zarrah
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    Oct 28th 2016, 9:21 AM

    Side affects are the exact same for all female contraception, which is grand for gals but not okay for men haha cool

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    Mute Fred Johnson
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    Oct 28th 2016, 9:59 AM

    Reduced testosterone production as a side effect is probably less of an issue for “gals”.

    65
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    Mute Vincent Wallace
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    Oct 28th 2016, 10:07 AM

    Your fella be in touch with feminine side. Ill give it 6 months before your with someome else.

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    Mute Alexandra Zarrah
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    Oct 28th 2016, 10:41 AM

    Oh so the effect it has on the production and maintenance of oestrogen isn’t as relevant as testosterone?

    53
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    Mute Fred Johnson
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    Oct 28th 2016, 10:51 AM

    Exactly…does that make me hormone-ist?

    20
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    Mute Eddie Simon
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    Oct 28th 2016, 9:16 AM

    Should do wonders for STD rates which are already spiralling downward in certain communities.

    93
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    Mute king Jamie
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    Oct 28th 2016, 9:11 AM

    Man brings home one night stand and says to her iv no condoms but don’t worry I’m on the jab…..lol… OK then I trust you!

    81
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    Mute bopter
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    Oct 28th 2016, 9:27 AM

    @king Jamie: You’re probably joking but just to point out a good scenario for using this jab in case it isn’t obvious… A responsible guy doesn’t want to have kids, so he takes the jab (maybe without telling anyone) in case he’s lied to by a girl who says she’s on the pill.

    86
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    Mute Old Gabby Johnson
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    Oct 28th 2016, 9:34 AM

    @king Jamie: Yeah because men are dying to impregnate every woman he meets. Who doesn’t want to have kids with a one night stand?

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    Mute Emeralds
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    Oct 28th 2016, 10:03 AM

    How is that any different to a woman saying “I don’t like condoms but don’t worry, I’m on the pill”?

    35
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    Mute Kal Ipers
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    Oct 28th 2016, 12:36 PM

    If anybody is saying they won’t use a condom with a stranger as they are on contraception just leave. STDs are about and if they are willing to do it with you without condoms then what else or who else have they done.

    30
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    Mute The Boogeyman
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    Oct 28th 2016, 9:20 AM

    Thought the picture was a fellas arse and got awful confused when I saw the nipple

    57
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    Mute Cormac Laffan
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    Oct 28th 2016, 9:44 AM

    @The Boogeyman: Wait, you don’t have a nipple on your arse?!

    58
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    Mute The Boogeyman
    Favourite The Boogeyman
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    Oct 28th 2016, 10:09 AM

    Oh wait yeah I do, or I don’t, whichever is normal is what I have

    49
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    Mute Chris Rea
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    Oct 28th 2016, 9:09 AM

    Ah sure just the one suicide side effect. Will stick to bagging it thanks.

    42
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    Mute hjGfIgAq
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    Oct 28th 2016, 9:20 AM

    @Chris Rea: Just to be clear, the suicide was found to be unrelated to the treatment.

    87
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    Mute Chris Rea
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    Oct 28th 2016, 9:24 AM

    Seen that, but also heard that another 10 dropped out of the trial with bad depression. Seems a bit premature to be releasing this stuff (no pun intended)

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    Mute Maurice Bourke
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    Oct 28th 2016, 10:50 AM

    @Chris Rea:
    Just because something has serious side effects, doesn’t mean it can’t get on the market.
    Look up the ‘female viagra’ drug addyi.

    19
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    Mute Catherine Mill
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    Oct 28th 2016, 12:07 PM

    @: Always is.Usual pattern

    2
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    Mute Midge Gallagher
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    Oct 28th 2016, 12:39 PM

    I took Yasmin pills and had severe blackouts and I don’t get periods on progesterone pils. Both recognised side affects and still released ..

    34
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    Mute OU812
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    Oct 28th 2016, 9:11 AM

    Shite… there’s me after getting the snip…

    26
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    Mute Eyepopper
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    Oct 28th 2016, 10:07 AM

    No matter your opinion on pumping chemicals into the body as a means of contraception, but at least the female pill is ‘just’ fooling the body into thinking it’s pregnant – which is a natural state for a womans body, not producing sperm isn’t any sort of natural state for a mans body.

    17
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    Mute InvaderSkoodge
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    Oct 28th 2016, 1:39 PM

    @Eyepopper: It’s not exactly natural to be fooling your body into thinking it’s pregnant for years at a time.

    24
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    Mute Eyepopper
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    Oct 28th 2016, 6:00 PM

    Aren’t women recommended to take regular breaks off the pill?

    2
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    Mute Daniel Fontaine
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    Oct 28th 2016, 9:52 AM

    Woman:
    ‘How do I know you’ve had the jab?’
    Man:
    ‘Look at my acne’
    Woman:
    ‘UGH! Acne! No thanks’

    14
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    Mute Shawn Rahoon
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    Oct 28th 2016, 12:57 PM

    Heard this jab makes you fart through your mickey instead.

    13
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    Mute Dj
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    Oct 28th 2016, 9:22 AM

    I just pull out at the right time,costs nothing..

    12
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    Mute Eyepopper
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    Oct 28th 2016, 10:31 AM

    @Dj: Ahhh the withdrawal method, the Catholic churches preferred means of contraception, without which none of us would be here at all.

    (Credit to Billy Connolly for that one!)

    26
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    Mute James Keogh
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    Oct 28th 2016, 4:30 PM

    Pull out, PULL OUT, PULL OUTTtttttt, Oh ! Crikey Ya BIG Flute ya I am screwed.

    3
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    Mute Dean Anderson
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    Oct 28th 2016, 9:21 AM

    getting a girl pregnant.. .something Ive never had to worry about thankfully

    11
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    Mute mickmc
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    Oct 28th 2016, 9:28 AM

    My only fear it would be that the side effect would turn me into a jaffer. Nothing would ever work again

    10
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    Mute Mercurial One
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    Oct 28th 2016, 10:00 AM

    @mickmc: Or a worse side effect would be that it could cause temporary gayness!

    23
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    Mute mickmc
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    Oct 28th 2016, 10:53 PM

    Well that would be a 100% contraceptive method.

    1
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    Mute Adrian Connolly
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    Oct 28th 2016, 3:27 PM

    Acne ? High libido? So basically it turns us all into sterile teenage boys?

    8
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    Mute MargieMurph
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    Oct 28th 2016, 9:26 AM

    Wouldn’t trust it/him. A woman should be mistress of her own destiny.

    8
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    Mute Ariana
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    Oct 28th 2016, 9:56 AM

    Both parties can use contraceptives, chance of pregnancy would be really low then.

    39
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    Mute Emeralds
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    Oct 28th 2016, 10:02 AM

    You already are, Margie. Why shouldn’t men have the same peace of mind?

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    Mute MargieMurph
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    Oct 28th 2016, 10:11 AM

    @Emeralds. I get what you’re saying but women have to deal with the consequences of an unintended pregnancy. Consequences of that magnitude can’t be left to the good intentions of others. Men can take care of themselves for sure but women should not let their future be in the hands of others.

    13
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    Mute Emeralds
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    Oct 28th 2016, 10:16 AM

    Men don’t have that option at present, they should. And giving them the option won’t harm you in any way (unless, like some feminists, you think women should maintain their monopoly on control?)

    In any case, you seem to think fatherhood isn’t a big deal. It is.

    25
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    Mute seanmccann
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    Jan 1st 2017, 11:43 AM

    The point about fatherhood is well made. Being a father is important and you need to ready for it. If this helps men reach emmotional maturity and financial independence prior to becoming a father it will help us all.

    1
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    Mute Robert Deane
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    Oct 28th 2016, 9:43 AM

    Great the birth rate is going to go up. It will help fund the pension deficit into the future.

    3
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    Mute Stephen Maher
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    Oct 28th 2016, 7:35 PM

    Better amend the Eighth quick.

    1
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