Reported by Weng Patrick Atokor l Journalist at Weng Global
The World Health Organization (WHO) has unveiled new guidance aimed at accelerating the development of reversible male contraceptives, saying promising methods could potentially reach the market within the next five to 10 years.
The development could significantly expand the contraceptive choices available to men, who currently have relatively few methods under their direct control. WHO said existing male-controlled options are principally condoms, withdrawal and vasectomy.
The new framework, published on September 22, 2026, establishes target product profiles for novel male contraceptives. These profiles outline the minimum and preferred characteristics researchers and developers should pursue when creating future products, including safety, effectiveness, reversibility, acceptability and affordability.
WHO’s announcement comes as researchers work on several hormonal and non-hormonal approaches designed to prevent pregnancy without permanently affecting male fertility.
Three approaches under development
According to WHO, the new target product profiles cover three broad approaches to male contraception.
The first focuses on suppressing spermatogenesis, the biological process through which sperm are produced.
The second seeks to inhibit sperm function, potentially preventing sperm from moving effectively or fertilising an egg.
The third approach involves blocking sperm transmission or transport, preventing sperm from being released or reaching the reproductive tract.
WHO said several candidates are already being investigated and some have reached advanced clinical trials.
However, the organisation has not said that a specific new male contraceptive has been approved for public use. The five-to-10-year timeframe refers to the potential availability of promising candidates currently under development and remains dependent on research, clinical testing, regulatory approval and other stages of product development.
Why male contraception remains limited
Despite decades of research into family planning, men currently have substantially fewer contraceptive choices than women.
WHO identifies condoms, withdrawal and vasectomy as the principal methods currently controlled by men. Vasectomy is intended as a permanent method, while condoms and withdrawal require use at the time of sexual activity.
The limited range of male-controlled methods means that responsibility for preventing pregnancy has often depended heavily on methods used by women.
WHO’s latest initiative is intended to encourage the development of additional options that would allow men to play a greater direct role in pregnancy prevention.
The organisation said around 30% of couples already rely on a male method despite the relatively small number of options currently available.
WHO also reported that more than 75% of couples surveyed said they would be willing to use a new male contraceptive, while more than 85% of women surveyed said they would trust their male partners to take responsibility for contraception. The findings come from a global study involving research conducted between 2023 and 2025 in Colombia, Ghana, Morocco and Togo.
WHO framework is designed to guide developers
Rather than approving a particular contraceptive, WHO’s new framework is intended to give researchers, pharmaceutical companies, regulators, funders and other stakeholders a clearer description of what future male contraceptive products should achieve.
The target product profiles establish performance requirements and other characteristics that developers can use when designing and assessing potential products.
WHO said the framework is intended to support product development, introduction, regulatory review and monitoring after products enter the market.
The approach could also help researchers and investors focus on products that address practical concerns such as safety, effectiveness, affordability and whether fertility can return after use is stopped.
Reversibility is a key consideration
One of the defining features of the emerging methods is reversibility.
Unlike vasectomy, which is considered a permanent contraceptive method, the new products being developed are intended to provide contraception without permanently preventing future fertility.
WHO’s framework specifically includes reversibility among the characteristics that future male contraceptive products should meet.
This distinction is important because a reversible method could give men greater flexibility over family planning decisions while avoiding a permanent intervention.
However, the effectiveness and speed of fertility recovery will ultimately depend on the individual product and the evidence generated during clinical development. New methods would need to demonstrate their safety and performance before being made widely available.
The science is still developing
Although the prospect of new male contraceptives has attracted growing attention, the products are not yet part of routine contraceptive care.
WHO said several hormonal and non-hormonal methods are being researched, with promising candidates in advanced clinical trials. The organisation’s estimate that new reversible male contraceptives may reach the market within five to 10 years therefore represents a development outlook rather than a guaranteed launch date.
Potential products must still meet appropriate scientific and regulatory requirements before they can be introduced.
The new WHO framework is intended partly to help establish those expectations earlier in the development process.
Wider changes to contraception
The male contraceptive initiative forms part of a broader WHO effort to expand contraceptive choices globally.
On September 23, WHO released new guidelines covering several existing or emerging contraceptive options and practices.
The organisation said the guidelines are designed to help countries broaden access to contraceptive methods supported by the available evidence.
Among the recommendations, WHO supports extended or continuous use of certain combined oral contraceptive pills and says contraceptive implants may be used for up to five years, potentially reducing the frequency of replacement procedures and clinic visits.
WHO also recommended mifepristone as an additional emergency contraception option when taken as soon as possible and within five days of unprotected sex, based on evidence reviewed by the organisation.
At the same time, WHO highlighted areas where evidence remains insufficient. The organisation called for further research into ormeloxifene and recommended against adding quinestrol-containing contraceptive pills to national programmes because of limited evidence and reports of serious adverse events.
Why the development matters
The development of reversible male contraceptives could change how responsibility for pregnancy prevention is shared between partners.
For men, additional methods could provide alternatives beyond condoms, withdrawal and permanent sterilisation.
For couples, having more options could make it easier to select a contraceptive approach based on individual preferences, circumstances and reproductive plans.
WHO has described contraceptive choice as an issue connected to gender equality, arguing that both men and women need access to a range of methods that take account of factors including reliability, convenience, accessibility and individual preferences.
The potential impact is also relevant in countries where access to family-planning services remains uneven. New products alone, however, would not guarantee access. Affordability, regulatory approval, manufacturing capacity, healthcare systems and public acceptance would all influence whether new methods become widely available.
What happens next?
Researchers and product developers will continue testing potential male contraceptives, while regulators will assess evidence on their safety and effectiveness.
WHO’s new target product profiles provide a common framework for this development process.
If candidates successfully progress through clinical development and regulatory review, some could potentially become available within the five-to-10-year timeframe identified by WHO.
For now, the development remains a research and product-development story rather than the arrival of a new contraceptive on pharmacy shelves.
The significance of the WHO initiative is that male contraception is increasingly being treated as an area requiring a broader range of scientifically evaluated choices, with developers being given clearer guidance on the characteristics those future products should meet.
Weng Global – Stories beyond borders
Sources
- World Health Organization (WHO), “WHO expands safe options for contraception,” September 23, 2026.
- World Health Organization (WHO), “Target product profiles for development of novel male contraceptive methods,” September 22, 2026.
- World Health Organization (WHO), “WHO guidelines on expanding contraceptive options,” September 23, 2026.
- World Health Organization (WHO), “Beyond the method: what drives willingness to use novel male contraceptive methods?” September 16, 2026.
