New birth control for men

A new contraceptive for men has been developed - the biggest revolution in family planning since the launch of the Pill.

Thousands of volunteers will begin testing the implant - which works by lowering sperm count with doses of the female hormone progesterone - this month. Experts are confident that the treatment will be almost 100 per cent effective and side-effect free, and predict it could be on the market in three years.

Dr Pierre-Marc Bouloux, one of the hormone specialists co-ordinating the research, said today: "It will lead to a new concept in family planning. For men, until now, the only choices have been abstinence, a condom or vasectomy.

Vasectomies are not a popular choice and condoms have never been in vogue as a contraceptive. This is going to change the face of family planning."

The trials of the implant are being coordinated jointly by 13 research centres in Europe, Australia and the US.

Dr Bouloux's team at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead is undertaking the trials for the South and will be testing the treatment on 300 volunteers.

The possibility of creating a male Pill was first established by scientists in 1988. Since then, researchers across the world have been racing to develop a fully marketable product.

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