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Male contraception hope13 October 2006 A new contraceptive for men is attracting a lot of interest, with volunteers reported to be queuing up to test the new intra vas device. What is the device?The intra vas device (IVD) is a small silicone plug that is inserted through a small hole made in the scrotum. The plug blocks the vas deferens, which are tubes that carry sperm from each of the testicles to the penis. The IVD therefore blocks the flow of semen. The IVD is being hailed by the US-based developer, Shepherd Medical Company, as a new alternative to a vasectomy. What is a vasectomy?A vasectomy is an operation to cut and seal off the vas deferens. This means that as with the IVD, sperm are no longer able to travel from the testicles to the penis, and the man is no longer able to conceive children. Is a vasectomy permanent?A vasectomy is a considered a permanent method of contraception. It's sometimes called "male sterilisation". Some men come to regret the vasectomy operation - usually because they have a new partner, want more children or for other unforeseen circumstances. It is sometimes possible to reverse the operation in a vasectomy reversal. This is an operation to rejoin each of the tubes that carry sperm from the testicles to the penis, which were cut during the vasectomy. Vasectomy reversal operations are not always successful, however. They have a greater chance of success if they are done fairly soon after the original vasectomy - about eight out of 10 men father children when their vasectomy is reversed within three years. If 15 years or more have passed since the vasectomy, this success rate falls to about three out of 10 men. Is the IVD permanent?No, the IVD has been designed not to be permanent. Unlike a vasectomy, when the IVD is implanted the vas deferens don't need to be severed. They are not permanently damaged so men should still be able to father children after the device is removed - but only trials in men will confirm this. Why is the IVD attracting interest?The device is attracting a lot of interest because there are few options for male contraception in comparison to female contraception. The fact that the vas deferentia are not damaged offers men a potentially reversible technique. Dr Neil Pollock, co-founder of Shepherd Medical Company believes the IVD will appeal to men in stable relationships and offers a way for men to "step up" to take responsibility for contraception and may even rival the female contraceptive pill in the future. Rebecca Findlay, spokesperson for the fpa (formerly the Family Planning Association), is "heartened" by the emergence of a new contraceptive and welcomes the new development. Rebecca commented, "The more choice of contraception we can offer people the more likely people are to use it well and correctly." Is the IVD available in the UK?No, the device is currently being tested in trials in the US to see if it works and if it is safe. The trial was originally going to take place at two centres but due to demand this has been increased to four. When will the IVD be available in the UK?Dr Neil Pollock hopes to get approval from the US government in the next five years and "hopefully sooner than five years in the UK". However, the device has a number of trials to go through first to check that it is safe and effective. It is "early days" according to Rebecca Findlay, "The male hormonal contraception has been in development for years so we are still a very long way away with the IVD." What other contraception for men is available now in the UK?Apart from vasectomy (and abstinence!), condoms, if used correctly, can protect against unwanted pregnancy and also protect against sexually transmitted diseases.
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