A “safe, effective, and reversible” contraceptive pill was recently introduced by a group of international physicians.  It seems that ‘new-and-improved’ birth control pills are being discovered in rapid fashion lately, to the point where most doctors probably couldn’t name them all. This one, however, certainly trumps all others in its uniqueness—it’s for men.

The physicians promise that this pill will provide just as much protection as the other two male options for birth control, vasectomy and condoms. It essentially works like the female pill, restricting sperm production in males. Unfortunately, there is no word out yet on when this pill will be readily available.

I commend this new opportunity for men to participate in birth control, but I cannot help but question what the result of it will be. Elaine Lissner, the director of the M ale Contraception Information Project, hails it as a way for men to “take control” of their destinies. One could not argue with the benefits of a man being extra safe in his sexual encounters, and it is wonderful when anyone decides to go the extra mile to ensure that unwanted pregnancies do not happen.

That being said, I wonder if there won’t be a few males who use it as an excuse to have intercourse sans condoms. I can only imagine the precarious results that will occur once the refrain “it’s okay, I am on the pill” can come from a guy’s mouth as well. Even if they are in fact being protected, it still leaves both parties open for a myriad of STI’s. On a whole, this new pill is beneficial, though its usage will certainly be open to a number of questions. For in the end, I wonder how many men will be eager to take such a pill in the first place, but perhaps I am being a bit too pessimistic.