FDA Approves New and Improved Female Condom
Yesterday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new female condom manufactured by the Female Health Company that improves upon many of the drawbacks of the original version.
The FDA approval not only means that the new female condom will soon be ready for sale in the U.S. but will also allow the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to buy and distribute it to HIV-prevention programs abroad.
The original, while approved for use in 1993, never really broke into the male condom-dominated U.S. market. Consumers complained that it was too expensive (between $2.80 and $4.00) and too noisy during sex. The new product is 30% cheaper and made with a softer, quieter material.
As the only woman-initiated method of preventing HIV and unintended pregnancy, advocates have long believed the female condom holds enormous potential. And many are optimistic that with these improvements and a more aggressive marketing strategy, it will catch on this time around.
The Center for Health and Gender Equity praised the FDA’s approval:
We join women around the world in applauding the FDA’s swift action to approve the FC2 female condom,” stated Serra Sippel, executive director of the Center for Health and Gender Equity. “The HIV pandemic among women requires increased investment in woman-centered prevention options, and FC2 approval is an important step forward in putting the power of prevention in women’s hands.
By Maya Dusenbery