I know there are several trials being run right now to develop male contraceptive drugs, but historically, all such methods have been developed to act on the female body. IUD’s, skin implants, oral hormones, etc.
Is it purely because of biological / medical reasons, or are there other reasons people decided to only research female options?
I know men can get a vasectomy, but I am specifically speaking about reversible options of contraception.
In: Biology
A lot of comments touch on the differences in available approach favoring women, and a few touch on the history of sexism in the industry and the more stringent standards that would need to be met for a modern pill replacement.
One more thing worth mentioning is that there’s also a trust issue at play.
The male pill may be valuable in long term committed relationships, but it would probably be a step backwards in more casual circles.
Shifting the responsibility to the person in the relationship with (relatively speaking) the least to lose carries some risk.
The are plenty of situations where male bc would be great, but it’s a relatively small market, which makes it a low priority for pharmaceutical companies – especially considering that there will be an expectation of cost parity with female bc.
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