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[[Health Week 9]]
1. The first source I read was "This biologist is figuring out how to short-circuit sperm as birth control" from PBS news. This article discussed a new contraceptive method being researched by Polina Lishko as something that males could take instead of women. The idea behind this birth control method is to cut off sperm cell's access to energy from their mitochondria which would stop them from reaching egg cells and causing a pregnancy. One substance being investigated is niclosamide which is an ointment used to treat tapeworm infestations and seems to cause sperm cells to lose the ability to get energy from their mitochondria. Some of the advantages that might come with this method include giving another option since different people prefer different contraceptives for many different factors. It would also specifically give males another option which could be very helpful since most are centered around women. The article mentions the possibility of men not being willing to take birth control medication like this, and although cost isn't explicitly mentioned it would likely be expensive since it is a new and experimental treatment.
2. The second source that I read was "Long-acting contraceptive patch gives women DIY option for birth control" from NBC News. The new contraceptive method that this article discussed is a new patch that could be applied and administer hormones over a certain period. It uses the same hormones as other methods, although eliminates the risk of dirty needles or needing to go to a doctor for application. The patches use biodegradable needles to release the hormone and are projected to only cost $1 per dose. These new patches are cheap and could be a great option for developing countries where access to hospitals and medical professionals can be challenging. The team does not know if these patches will work in humans yet which could be a disadvantage, although with successful tests on rats they are optimistic.
3. It seems like there is a lot of good research going in to new contraceptive methods right now. It seems to me like there is need for more methods for males to use, and many of the sources are discussing new areas of research into methods for this. Many established methods are also ones that might not work as well for developing countries due to cost or accessibility and developments such as the new birth control patches I read about seem like promising options in the future for other countries around the world. Needs that I have seen to be met include options with less side effects (especially from hormone-based options) and options that are more accessible to developing nations and teenagers.