In the late 1950s, researchers tested drugs called "bis(dichloroacetyl) diamines" on inmates at the Oregon State Penitentiary. It looked promising at first:
The compounds reduced the amount of sperm in the men’s semen, and sometimes completely wiped it out. The pills didn’t affect libido, and the only reported side effect was bloating and gas. What’s more, within a few weeks of stopping treatment, sperm counts went back up. It was, perhaps, the horny grail: reversible birth control for men, no rubber required.
The problem came when the pills were tested outside of those prison walls. Unfortunately, when men taking the drugs drank alcohol, they had a violent reaction, including acute vomiting and shortness of breath. The research was quickly abandoned. "The joke there, of course, is that if it weren’t for alcohol, you wouldn’t need a contraceptive," quipped researcher John Amory …
The Dish 