To all of the men out there: what if you could literally turn on or off your fertility with the flick of a switch? Bimek SLV has come up with a solution: a literal “sperm switch.”
When it comes to birth control, much of the responsibility seems to fall on women. Even with a wider range of male contraceptives, problems persist. Condoms can cause allergic reactions in some, can tear, can cause discomfort and more. Hormones can cause a variety of side effects and even permanently decrease sperm count. Vasectomies can potentially cause lasting damage, with many procedures being irreversible.
This is why the team at Bimek has presented the SLV, which can be implanted to allow for direct control over sperm count. As you can see below in the videos and pictures, the SLV is an actual toggle the size of a gummy bear and only 2 grams in weight. The SLV is fitted inside the testicles and over the spermetic ducts. When put into the off position, the sperm cells cannot travel through the spermetic ducts. To turn it back on, one need only hold a safety button on the other side of the switch and flick the SLV back on.
According to the team at Bimek, the SLV surgery takes only 30 minutes to be performed–under local anesthesia–before clients can be off on their merry way. But be cautious: it will still take up to 3 months for sperm cells to be completely gone from ejaculatory fluids. This is why the team at Bimek encourages men to undergo a full sperm analysis to be sure of sterility before testing out their product.
The team at Bimek claim that the SLV is not made of abrasive materials such as silicone, and has “excellent properties and exceptional durability,” allowing for longevity. The SLV is anti-allergenic and “100% vegan,” and having never been testing on animals. It has, however, been tested by the inventor Clemens Bimek for the trial run, and on other volunteers. So not quite the definition of “vegan,” but you get the point they were trying to make.
But therein lies perhaps the main concern: the product is still being tested, and still waiting for approval. The SLV still has to go through extensive clinical trials to test for any effects or consequences, and still has to be modified and made ready for market. When it is ready, it is estimated to cost about 5,000 €, with no additional costs after the valve is implemented. Only then can we know if the procedure will work well, last and be worthwhile.
So the question is out there men: would you get a sperm switch? Let us know in the comments below. And for more information on the Bimek SLV product and procedure, check out the Bimek SLV website.
Bimek SLV – The New Contraception for Men from Bimek SLV on Vimeo.