By Natalie Digate
Daily Bruin Contributor
From condoms that only cover the tip of the penis to vaginal
rings and hormone patches, the latest in contraceptive technology
make practicing safe sex a little more interesting.
Despite the abundance of contraceptive methods already on the
market, researchers are eager to advance contraceptive technology
so people will find it less inhibitive and more convenient to
practice safe sex.
“Necessity is the mother of invention,” said
Riverside resident Harry Thompson, 56, when asked what motivated
him to invent the latest in contraception methods ““ the
condom that only covers the head of the penis.
Because there are still a number of abortions, unwanted
pregnancies and AIDS cases, Thompson said he felt compelled to
think of an inventive alternative to standard condoms.
“Then it came into my head out of nowhere ““ less
latex is better,” he said.
After spending four years and more than $40,000 to patent the
product and find a manufacturer, Thompson awaits the results of a
Phase 1 trial of the HAT condom conducted by the California Family
Health Council.
For a new contraceptive to be placed on the market, it must pass
a series of phases and be approved by the Food and Drug
Administration.
The purpose of a Phase 1 trial is to determine if the product is
practical, said Deanna Mouser, senior research associate of the
CFHC. Researchers are testing to see whether the condom is
comfortable, if it stays on, and to ensure it does not break.
Twenty volunteer couples will be given two condoms to test and a
survey to complete afterwards. Their responses will decide if it is
worth further testing.
People should not get too anxious about the new condom yet
because Phase 1 trials often fail, said Ann Brooks, nurse
practitioner at the Arthur Ashe Student Health & Wellness
Center.
While she is open to new concepts of contraception, Brooks said
she doesn’t see the advantage of the HAT condom.
“The head of the penis is still covered so sensation
isn’t increased that much and (condoms) only protect what
they cover, so it won’t really be that effective against
sexually transmitted diseases,” she said.
“But anything that may get people to do anything that they
are not already doing to protect themselves is a good thing,”
she added.
Brooks was especially interested in a Phase III investigation
being conducted on a new vaginal gel. The product has already
passed the initial phases of testing and researchers are now
studying its effectiveness in killing sperm and STDs.
To date, vaginal gels work through a detergent called
nonoxanol-9 that destroys sperm by killing the cells. Â The
harsh chemical can cause irritation of the vaginal lining and lead
to yeast and bacterial infections, Brooks said.
The new vaginal gel, studied by the CFHC and the National
Institutes of Health, maintains an acidic environment in the vagina
that would destroy the alkaline sperm and other foreign invaders
without disrupting cells in the vagina.
“If it works, it will be absolutely wonderful,”
Brooks said. “It’s about time.”
If the gel passes the Phase III testing, it will be sent for FDA
approval before it can be marketed. It will take at least three
years until the gel could come out on the market, said Karen
Peacock, director of data operations at the CFHC.
Other new birth control methods already FDA-approved will soon
be available to hospitals and clinics nationwide.
On Nov. 20, the FDA approved the first hormonal contraceptive
skin patch. Ortho Evra is a small patch that can be applied to the
lower abdomen, buttocks or upper body. Â Similar to traditional
birth control pills, the patch releases progesterone and estrogen
into the blood stream to prevent pregnancy. The difference is that
women no longer have to remember to take a pill nightly — the
patch does it for them.
A similar innovation is the newly approved hormonal vaginal
contraceptive NuvaRing. When inserted into the vagina, the
ring releases progesterone and estrogen hormones to prevent against
pregnancy. After three weeks, the ring is removed for one week
during which menstruation occurs.
“I can’t wait until they come out,” Brooks
said. “I told them that we have got to have them
available here at Ashe as soon as they come out.”