Safe sex: In today's modern age, hundreds of contraceptive products have hit the shelves from the widely used condom to newer forms of pills and patches. Up until recent years, females have been presented with a plethora of products to use.

One of the most popular is the birth control pill. Men, however, have been stuck with one main contraceptive, the condom, leading to a vast campaign of safe-sex commercials and jokes, such as, "Don't be a fool, wrap your tool."

Although the male pill has been proven 100 percent effective so far, more substantial testing must be conducted.

Over the years, condoms have become safer through extensive testing and in preventing sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and unwanted pregnancy. However, recent advances have created a pill for males rivaling the female pill. In 2000, a team of researchers in Scotland started tests in hopes of uncovering the key to stopping sperm production.

With research far into the works, new information could hit the market soon, changing modern methods of contraception forever. A European pharmaceutical company called Organon plans to market this future product when it's ready for release. Considering that nearly four years have elapsed since its testing, the release may be soon.

In early trials, a total of 66 men, half in Scotland and half in China, were given a daily pill that contained a steroidal hormone, desogestrel, for a span 24 weeks. The pill is designed to lower sperm production over a stretch of what can be months. After this time period, the sperm count of the pill consumer drops to zero.

The pill's main purpose is to lower the sperm count to a point that the ejaculate contains no sperm to fertilize an egg -- not to be confused with preventing ejaculation. While ingesting the pill, men received implant injections of two 200-milligram testosterone pellets at the start of treatment and again 12 weeks later. The injections would be necessary with the pill to provide the body with a minimum level of testosterone to balance the effects of desogestrel.

After discontinuing desogestrel usage, the men's sperm level returned to normal after 16 weeks.

Despite the research being done, some feel the pill is years away.

"Years from now it may be available, but not now; it's not even close to being marketed," said University Health Services physician Dr. Edward Rosick. "The problem is side effects; unlike women who produce one egg a month, men face a greater challenge of stopping millions of sperm from being produced a day."

The side effects of the pill could be serious, causing an increase in weight, fluctuation of "normal" cholesterol levels, acne, mood swings, shrinking of the testicles or, most simply, ineffectiveness of the product.

The pill alone will not prevent the transfer of STDs, which are contracted from bodily fluids and direct contact of openings to these fluids. Therefore, partners should be careful to know each other's sexual history.

Studies have shown that most men would accept a new form of contraceptive. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the condom has a failure rate of about 14 percent under typical conditions, while the failure rate of the female pill is less than 1 percent, making it a popular choice for females.

When asked about using a male contraceptive pill, Peter Ingram (freshman-hotel restaurant management) said, "I would use it; then, at least I'd have the peace of mind knowing that I have done my part."

For most men, the pill may seem like an unnecessary precaution, one they should not have to deal with. A survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 71 percent of American men would consider at least one type of male birth control. Of these men, 66 percent said they would be willing to try the pill.

The pill causes one to question -- considering that the human body's reproductive system is designed in a fashion for optimal sperm production -- why would one alter the nature of things? Aside from preventing pregnancy, this new form of contraception may help share the responsibility both partners have in safe sex.

"It's about time that men step up to the plate and share contraceptive responsibility," said Mitch Price, assistant professor of biology. "It will no doubt take time to garner FDA approval, but when it does, it will help avoid unwanted pregnancy".

For now, work is still being done to perfect the pill, but only time will tell when the pill will hit shelves if men will be truly interested in using it.