A male contraceptive that actually works? Hormone-free pill shows promise

Sumit Jha

Apr 21, 2025

Health

Health

For decades, women have carried most of the responsibility for contraception, with a wide range of options including pills, patches, implants and intrauterine devices (IUDs). 

Health

Men, by contrast, have had only two main choices: condoms or vasectomy.

Health

That could soon change. A new study published in the journal Communications Medicine reports encouraging results from a non-hormonal male birth control pill, YCT-529.

Health

Designed to be taken orally, the drug was tested in mice and non-human primates. 

Health

It caused no serious side effects and was found to be reversible, effective, and safe – a potential milestone in contraceptive development.

Health

In male mice, YCT-529 was 99 percent effective in preventing pregnancies within four weeks. In non-human primates, sperm counts fell within two weeks of use.