The burden of birth control might soon be taken off women and placed in the hands of men. The Parsemus Foundation, a non-profit with a mission to advance low-cost medicines not pursued by the pharmaceutical industry, has announced that their revolutionary new multi-year contraceptive for men, Vasalgel, could be available as early as 2017. If this form of birth control - which comes as a gel injected into a man's vas deferens to block sperm from entering the reproductive tube - proves successful, it could significantly alter the way we view one's reproductive responsibility.

Male birth control would benefit women financially and physically. While female birth control pills cost a woman between $15 to $50 a month ($160 to $600 annually), Vasalgel only requires one injection to be effective for a long period of time and is promised to cost less than a doctor's appointment. In addition, Vasagel is a non-hormonal form of birth control, unlike the birth control pill, which by tampering with a woman's hormones, can put women at risk for blood cots.

 For too long, sexually active women have had the option of putting a strain on their bodies and wallets with birth control, or risk getting pregnant and enduring the complications that entails as well (ignoring the obvious physical and emotional toll both of these options require, a child costing an average of $245,000). Male birth control serves as a much-needed - and just plain practical - step towards complete gender equality.

To learn more, watch this short video: