Male implant means birth control equality

Implants may be available for men as well as women

A birth control injection or implant for men could be on the market in the UK within five to ten years, says a leading fertility expert.

Professor John Guillebaud, medical director for Margaret Pyke family planning clinics, predicts that a hormonal injection or implant will allow men to become equal partners in contraception.

"There is a fairly large minority of men who totally callously believe that contraception is a woman's business, not theirs.

"They'll get very involved with their bodies but they won't bother turning their minds to the possibility of babies," he said.

Prof Guillebaud believes a male pill is not the solution because many men will not take it and many women will not trust them.

Speaking on the opening day of the Millennium Festival of Medicine conference in London, Prof Guillebaud will outline the possibility that there will soon be a "level playing field" in terms of birth control responsibilities.

Easier than pills

"An implant or injection is much easier to remember than a pill and women can supervise, making sure the implant is there under the skin or the injection is given every three months," he told BBC News Online.

Prof Guillebaud says work going on in Edinburgh and Manchester means male contraception combining an androgen injection and progestogen pill will be available within five years.

This method is currently in phase three trials, but Prof Guillebaud believes the next step is to dispense with the pills altogether in favour of depo injections and below the skin implants.

There is a fairly large minority of men who totally callously believe that contraception is a woman's business, not theirs

Prof John Guillebaud, Margaret Pyke centres

He said: "Women have had to suffer the side effects of contraception for years. They have the problems of having babies and the problems of preventing them.

"A safe and reliable male method like this could change the mindset and the culture so men can play a full role in contraception - it might even make them more interested in women's methods."

Prof Guillebaud believes the new male contraceptives will be most widely used by those in long term, stable relationships.

But he pointed out that a recent worldwide survey had indicated as many as 60% of men would be willing to use a contraceptive pill.