The Pill for Him

For decades, the burden of contraception has fallen disproportionately on women, navigating the physical, emotional and social consequences of preventing pregnancy. But what would happen if men had a contraceptive options of their own? And why, despite decades of research, has a reliable male contraceptive yet to reach the market?

In The Pill for Him, Dr Alex Lathbridge asks why more contraception options for men are needed and whether there is an appetite for them. He looks back on past failures and explores whether current developmental drugs could transform the way we think about fertility, relationships and reproductive rights.

Focusing on the development of YCT-529, an experimental, non-hormonal male contraceptive that blocks the action of retinoic acid, stopping sperm production in its tracks, Alex finds out why developing a new contraceptive for men is so difficult - both biologically and against the backdrop of a risk averse pharmaceutical industry.

An exploration of science, gender and the business of medicine, The Pill for Him investigates whether the future of contraception could finally become a shared endeavour.

Presenter: Dr Alex Lathbridge
Producer: Ellie Sans
Editor: Ilan Goodman
Production Co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth