Health UK (Commonwealth Union) – A global coalition of esteemed experts is urgently urging governments and healthcare systems to recognize male infertility as a prevalent and serious medical condition, potentially on the rise worldwide. They have unveiled a groundbreaking roadmap for international action in response.
This consortium is under the leadership of the Dean of Science at the University of Melbourne, and it includes representation from the United Kingdom, notably Professor Allan Pacey from The University of Manchester.
Hailing from ten different countries, these scientists have collaborated to produce a consensus report featuring ten critical recommendations, which has been published in Nature Reviews Urology. This call to action coincides with the World Health Organization’s assessment that infertility now impacts one in six couples of reproductive age, both in Australia and across the globe. Importantly, the report emphasizes that male factors contribute to infertility approximately half the time.
Furthermore, the report underscores the fundamental right of patients to receive meaningful diagnoses and targeted treatments. Unfortunately, such options are largely unavailable in most cases due to insufficient funding, gaps in research, and non-standard clinical practices.
The report proposes a series of crucial recommendations, which include the establishment of a global “biobank” housing tissues and clinical data from men, as well as their partners and children. This resource aims to aid researchers in unraveling the genetic and environmental factors contributing to infertility. Additionally, it advocates for the routine availability of genomic sequencing and improved diagnostic tests for men, enabling them to comprehend the underlying causes of their fertility challenges. The report emphasizes the necessity of thorough assessments of the impact of compounds like endocrine-disrupting chemicals, found in everyday consumer products, workplaces, and the environment, on the health of men and boys. It further calls for regulations and policies to shield them from such disruptive compounds and promote the development of safe alternatives. Finally, it underscores the importance of enhanced training for healthcare professionals to actively promote male reproductive health throughout the various stages of life.
Professor Moira O’Bryan, who serves as the Dean of Science at the University of Melbourne and acts as the lead author of the report, has emphasized that there is a growing body of evidence both in Australia and on a global scale indicating a decline in male reproductive health in recent decades. However, Professor O’Bryan underscored the necessity for additional research to further understand this trend. She stressed the critical importance of prompt, global action in implementing the consortium’s recommendations. Professor O’Bryan leads a comprehensive research and clinical study program focused on male infertility and male-based contraception.
“Decreasing semen quality and increasing frequency of testicular cancer and congenital defects in the urogenital system indicate that, globally, male reproductive health has declined over recent decades. Research is needed to understand why, and how this trend can be reversed.” Professor Allan Pacey, a co-author affiliated with the University of Manchester, voiced the long-overdue need to bring male reproductive health science and medicine out of obscurity. He stressed the imperative for a substantial transformation in how we approach this field, emphasizing the necessity to comprehend and address the risks to male reproductive health. The working group, through their report, has proposed a set of top 10 recommendations, aimed at catalyzing research and education in male reproductive health worldwide. This effort is championed by the Male Reproductive Health Initiative, a working group operating under the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology. The initiative enlisted 26 experts from across the globe, representing countries such as Australia, Argentina, Canada, China, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States, to craft an evidence-based roadmap that identifies crucial knowledge gaps, challenges, and opportunities for researchers, governments, healthcare systems, and public education. Professor O’Bryan added that the report also underscores the importance of providing more support to men and their partners in this regard.
