US scientists have emerged with a latest drug, which they suggest can be used as a contraceptive for men. Yes, you read that right, not for women, but contraceptive pills for men. If approved, then these would be the world’s first ever contraceptive pills for men.

The team of researchers from from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, and the University of Oxford in Britain, has designed a new molecule JQ1, which was initially being looked upon as a cure for cancer patients. However, the molecule failed to show its efficiency in the cancer treatment.

However, the molecule was proposed to be efficient enough in disrupting the production of sperm in male mice and rats, with no influence on their sex drive.

The research published in the Cell journal said, “The drug is not toxic for the animals, has no effect on testosterone or sexual behavior and does not appear to affect the first generation of offspring after the contraceptive is reversed”.

The authors of the study suggest that as men and mice are almost similar in terms of their reproductive capabilities, the drug can be deployed as a contraceptive pill for men.

However, the drug still has to undergo human trials.