In just a few years, men, too, could be on the pill.

Vasalgel is a reversible contraceptive for men being developed by The Parsemus Foundation, a nonprofit whose website says it “works to advance innovative and neglected medical research,” is developing the drug and says it has had success in animal testing. Human testing is expected to start next year and, assuming all goes to plan, could be on the market as early as 2018.

Vasalgel is used via injection and creates a polymer gel barrier in the vas deferens (the tube in the male genitalia through which sperm pass). It is similar to a vasectomy, a surgical procedure in which the vas deferens is snipped, but the idea is that Vasalgel could be reversed with another injection, if the user wanted to do so.

If you’re a man, would you ever consider using this drug? If you’re a woman, does this bring up trust issues for you (for example, believing a guy when he says he’s using Vasalgel or a similar male contraceptive)? What other male contraception options are being developed? How close are we to seeing some of these products for sale? How does this change the conversation and rhetoric around birth control, now that options exist for male contraceptives beyond condoms?

For more information on how Vasalgel works, take a look at this FAQ from The Parsemus Foundation. You can also learn more about the fundraising effort for male contraception here.

Guests:

Elaine Lissner, executive director of the Parsemus Foundation, which is developing Vasalgel, a male contraceptive that is designed to be similar to a vasectomy, but would be reversible.

Aaron Hamlin, executive director of the Male Contraception Initiative. He’s also a licensed attorney who has worked extensively in the nonprofit sector.