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Available for over a year

Up to now, male contraception has been limited to condoms or a vasectomy. There was a recent effort at something a little different called "hotpants" that were heated and were supposed to make sperm less effective - but that didn't catch on! Now there's talk of a simple gel which can be applied to the man's bare shoulder. The Nestorone®/Testosterone gel is a hormone-based treatment designed to reduce sperm production when applied daily. Paris-based gynaecologist and director of the NES/T male contraception project for the American NGO Population Council, Régine Sitruk-Ware, told Newsday about the gel which "should be available before the end of the decade". "So far the results are very promising. The challenge is to reach full suppression of sperm production while we maintain healthy testosterone levels to maintain the man's sexual drive." (Pic: Man spraying gel on his palm; Credit: American Population Council)