Scientists working to develop new contraceptive to protect against STDs

Australian researchers say that they hope to release a new gel-based contraceptive within the next year that protects against both unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), according to a recent article published in the Herald Sun.

Professor John Aitken, one of the lead developers, explained to the newspaper that the gel may used with a flexible sponge tool and inserted into the vagina to act as a contraceptive for up to 48 hours by killing sperm and virus particles on contact.

"We need contraceptives that meet the demands of the 21st century and one of those demands is that there's now a much higher risk of contracting a sexually transmitted disease than there was in the 1950s and '60s," he told the news provider.

He noted that the birth control pill, which was invented in 1959, was the most recent prophylactic advancement.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, condom use is the only method for reducing the risk of STD infection in sexually active individuals, aside from lifelong monogamy among uninfected couples.