在美國國立衛(wèi)生研究院（NIH）資助下，美國華盛頓大學(xué)研究人員最近發(fā)現(xiàn)，男性通過藥物短期避孕或許切實(shí)可行。早期臨床試驗(yàn)顯示，服用大劑量簡稱DMAU的藥物以后，男性受試者體內(nèi)的激素出現(xiàn)變化，（理論上）導(dǎo)致精子數(shù)量下降，同時(shí)出現(xiàn)的其他變化也增加了女性受孕的難度。此項(xiàng)技術(shù)還處于試驗(yàn)階段，但已引發(fā)不少討論，顯示出科學(xué)界和社會公共衛(wèi)生政策討論很受性別影響。

不少人對這項(xiàng)早期研究提出明確警告，比如藥物可能產(chǎn)生嚴(yán)重的副作用，要想切實(shí)證明效果還需要更大規(guī)模、更細(xì)致也更經(jīng)得起同行評審的研究，一場復(fù)雜的討論也已掀起，爭論在于這種預(yù)防措施實(shí)際應(yīng)用前景究竟如何。改變激素水平的藥物可能導(dǎo)致體重增長、性欲減退、情緒變化等副作用（女性服用避孕藥已飽受類似負(fù)面影響），男性會不會接受？即便接受，他們會不會遵醫(yī)囑服藥？

在華盛頓大學(xué)進(jìn)行研究以前，業(yè)內(nèi)知名專家已在研究此類問題。但避孕相關(guān)的科學(xué)和政策制定絕大多數(shù)影響都施加在女性身上。美國國家公共電臺（NPR）在一篇新近報(bào)道中概述道，由于各州政府打壓避孕服務(wù)，一些女性轉(zhuǎn)而采用數(shù)字醫(yī)療等新型醫(yī)療技術(shù)。

NPR舉例稱，數(shù)字技術(shù)的避孕應(yīng)用程序發(fā)展迅速，女性可以無需看醫(yī)生或者去醫(yī)院就能購買激素類避孕藥，尤其是在所謂的“避孕沙漠”?！氨茉猩衬笔侵福行┮?yàn)楫?dāng)?shù)卣邍?yán)格，有些則是社會經(jīng)濟(jì)發(fā)展落后，這些地區(qū)的女性很難購買避孕工具。降低售價(jià)和保護(hù)隱私也能提供很大幫助。

在這方面，男性和女性的待遇差別巨大。面向男士的避孕創(chuàng)新成果還在研發(fā)初期，效果尚待驗(yàn)證，就已經(jīng)因?yàn)榭赡軐ι眢w健康和社會方面的影響承受壓力。另一方面，效力已明確的女性避孕手段在某些地方卻求之。（財(cái)富中文網(wǎng)）

譯者：Pessy

審稿：夏林

A recent study from University of Washington researchers (and funded by the National Institutes of Health) has rekindled hopes that a short-term male birth control pill may actually be viable. In an early trial, high doses of dimethandrolone undecanoate (DMAU) demonstrated hormonal changes that would (in theory) reduce sperm production and cause other changes that make it more difficult to impregnate someone. But the conversation around this highly experimental technology highlights how different scientific and social health policy discussions can be influenced by sex and gender.

There are many important caveats about this early research—including the likelihood of significant possible side effects, and the fact that far larger and more detailed, peer-reviewed studies will be required to establish efficacy—and it’s opened up complex conversations about how such a prophylactic measure would work out in practicality. Would men be open to such a hormone-changing therapy, which may entail side effects including weight gain, libido loss, and mood changes (the kinds of adverse events that have long accompanied female hormonal birth control)? If they were, would they take the medication as prescribed?

Prominent experts have been probing those precise issues in the wake of the University of Washington’s research. But the science and policies affecting birth control overwhelmingly affect women. And digital health is one new kind of medical technology some women are turning to as states crack down on family planning services, NPR outlines in a new report.

For instance, digital birth control apps—such as those that allow women to purchase hormonal birth control without having to go to a doctor or another health provider—are on the rise, according to NPR, especially in so-called “contraception deserts.” These are regions where it may be particularly difficult to get to a family planning facility, whether because of local policies or socioeconomic road bumps; lower prices and privacy are also big draws.

It’s a striking dichotomy. Preliminary, unproven birth control innovations for men are already facing pushback over possible physical and social effects, while proven ones for women (with long-evident physical and social effects) are, in some places, difficult enough to acquire that entirely new kinds of technologies have to be used to get them at all.