Contraceptive drugs for men have so far been based on a combination of progesterone (a female hormone) and testosterone. Not good. The progesterone stops the formation of sperm and the testosterone keeps us from becoming women. But who knows. I sure won’t touch it. Besides, scientists are working on a better solution.

Chuen Yan Cheng of the Population Council in New York has found a way without hormones. A chemical called adherin looks like it can block the development of sperm temporarily, without altering the sex hormone ratio in the body.

During spermatogenesis when sperms are being manufactured in the testes, they are helped in their development into mature sperm by special tissue called Sertoli cells. Adherin acts by breaking the bond between the immature sperm and the Sertoli cells. Therefore the male hormones are not affected.

According to MedIndia.com, studies on rats have shown that there are no serious side effects on the heart, kidney, lungs and other vital organs in the long term.