Male hormonal contraceptive methods are based on the principle of pituitary gonadotrophin suppression and intratesticular testosterone depletion, leading to suppression of spermatogenesis. Following the earlier contraceptive efficacy trials using testosterone alone, synergistic combination regimes using newer androgens and other agents are now being tested. The combination of a long-acting testosterone preparation with a progestogen appears to be the most promising, and will hopefully lead to an accepted product for clinical application early in the 21st century.