The condom choices are as novel as they are plentiful – sunshine yellow, aqua blue and tuxedo black. Lubricated, ribbed or latex free. For men and women.
Then there’s the Jimmie Hatz condom and its bulldog mascot wearing a condom on his head and another around his neck.
The state of Colorado purchases these condoms and a variety of others, then provides them to nonprofit programs for distribution. The colors and catchy logos may make the difference in getting some to practice safer sex, advocates say.
But a recent Consumer Reports article on the reliability of condoms has raised questions.
The report rated several brands of condoms better than Lifestyles, which is one of several the state purchases each year. While Lifestyles rated in the “good” category overall, a few agencies that distribute the state-purchased condoms wonder whether Lifestyles and the other brands the state gives away are as reliable as they should be.
“We talk about giving people different options to keep themselves at low risk, so being able to offer condoms that are reliable and dependable is really important,” said John Nelson, program manager for the Colorado AIDS Project.
Another counselor at a Denver adolescent program is concerned enough to warn clients about the state-issued condoms.
“I tell them, ‘I don’t know if it’s true, but Lifestyles condoms might be weaker’ and encourage them to use two types of protection,” she said.
Adam Glickman, founder and chief executive of Condomania – the largest online retailer of condoms in the U.S. – and others in the industry say the Consumer Reports article should not cause alarm. All condoms on the market meet federal Food and Drug Administration requirements for safety and efficacy, he said.
Consumer Reports filled condoms with air and graded them based on breakage after reaching 25 liters. The FDA requires that condoms hold 16 liters of air.
“We know that they are meeting what FDA feels is the standard for safety and performance,” said Dr. Ned Calonge, chief medical officer for the Colorado Department of Public Health.
The state purchases 670,432 condoms annually for $54,094. The condoms are distributed to more than 100 agencies.
Colorado has been providing condoms for nonprofits since 1986, Calonge said. The state buys Lifestyles, Reality, Hatz, Kimono and latex-free Avanti condoms.
“The best way to prevent sexually transmitted diseases is to be abstinent or monogamous,” Calonge said. “There is a segment of people who don’t make those lifestyle choices. To protect them and other people, condoms are necessary.”
The state has twice stopped buying certain condoms because of problems. In 2002, a lubricated condom was discontinued after complaints about breakage, Calonge said. A few years ago, condoms with nonoxynol-9, a spermicide, were discontinued because the chemical causes irritation.
In 2002, Lifestyles voluntarily recalled two lines because of a higher risk of breakage.
The maker of Lifestyles is unfazed by the report, said Carol Carozza, vice president of marketing for Ansell Healthcare, Lifestyles’ parent company. Lifestyles meets a global standard of holding 18 liters of air during airburst tests.
“All of them were very good or better,” Carozza said of the condoms tested in Consumer Reports. “This wasn’t a total ranking of all categories or brands out there. It was a list of the 21 best, of which there were several Lifestyles.”
Just getting people to use condoms goes a long way in protection, Calonge said. Hence, the Jimmie Hatz brand, aimed at urban youth.
Jimmie Hatz, a slang reference to condoms, comes in “Great Dane” and “Rottweiler” sizes. The back of the box says, “Going bareback without the bare facts can have you 6 feet under on your back. Never have unprotected sex; always wear your Jimmie Hatz.”
Nelson said getting someone to practice safe sex is too important to give out anything less than the most dependable brands.
“We are taking a look at that to see if it makes a difference in what we order in the future.”
Staff writer Elizabeth Aguilera can be reached at 303-820-1372 or eaguilera@denverpost.com.
