Indian and American scientists are working in close cooperation in the field of male contraception and the objective in the long run is to produce a sperm-based vaccine. Over the past two days, scientists representing nine institutions in the US and 16 from India exchanged notes on the ongoing research on the subjects in both countries. This was part of the Indo-US Programme on Contraceptive and Reproductive Health Research going on from 1997.
The Department of Biotechnology under the Ministry of Science and Technology claimed that already Indian researchers are making a headway. There are proteins and antigens in the human sperm which are being identified, segregated and research is on to produce a vaccine. Similarly, studies are being carried out to see if a male hormonal pill could be a reality. Again, the ‘‘barrier approach’’ through better quality condoms is also being tried out.
Scientists, who were present at the workshop, said that the male pill research was complicated because it had to be ensured that while reproductive powers were barricaded, the male libido was not done away with. It had to be a careful balance, they said.
Manju Sharma, secretary, department of biotechnology, clarified that all this research was at a very preliminary stage. In one case, however, a researcher has applied for a patent after developing new vagina anti-microbial contraceptive formulation.
The work of the concerned scientist, Dr Sanjay Garg, has also been corroborated by fellow researchers in a Chicago laboratory. Dr Garg is an assistant professor of the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER).
The patent, however, does not automatically mean that it would lead to the production of the contraceptive. It would go through an elaborate scientific procedure before plans could be made to contact a pharmaceutical firm and go for manufacturing in bulk.