Planned Parenthood develops its own condom
There will be 25 million advertisements carrying the message of Planned Parenthood Federation of America next year, but don’t look on billboards or in magazines. Instead, check the wallets, purses, and nightstands of sexually active Americans for condom packages bearing the New York City-based group’s logo and toll-free telephone number.
Planned Parenthood Federation of America has introduced its own private-label condom brand. With 127 affiliates operating 875 health centers nationwide, the organization expects to distribute more than 25 million condoms in the next year.
Each condom wrapper bears a toll-free number [(800)-230-PLAN (7526)] to reach the nearest Planned Parenthood health center, where users can get reproductive health information or make a confidential appointment.
"The Planned Parenthood name tells you it’s a condom you can trust," says Gloria Feldt, president of the national organization. "And the toll-free number gives users an immediate connection to the full range of services and information people need to stay healthy and make their own responsible choices."
Tests ensure quality
Condoms are an important defense against sexually transmitted diseases and unintended pregnancy, so it is important that the quality of the product is maintained at a high level, says Dixie Newman, RN, BSN, former vice president of patient services at Planned Parenthood of San Diego and Riverside Counties and now affiliated with the national organization.
Planned Parenthood has contracted with Malaysian condom manufacturer L.S. Rubber Co. for the private-label condoms, says Newman. Six quality assurance tests are performed at the manufacturing site, with a separate test performed here in the United States.
Every condom on the manufacturing line goes through a wet electrical test, whereby electricity is passed through the latex to detect any weak areas or holes, Newman states. Once condoms move from the manufacturing line, a dry electrical test also checks each one for similar defects. Different lots of condoms are sampled for the air burst test and the water burst analysis. The air burst test uses air pressure to test the tensile strength of the latex, while the water burst test looks for holes in the product, says Newman.
Different product lots also are sampled for the aging test, which places packaged condoms inside a closed container. The container is then heated to a very high temperature for different lengths of time. The condoms are removed from the container and tested to make sure that the heat in the aging process did not cause the latex to break down, explains Newman. The package integrity of the condom wrapper is tested in a separate vacuum analysis.
Consumers drive options
The first two styles in the Planned Parenthood line include a lubricated latex condom and a nonoxynol-9 spermicidal latex condom. Two flavored condoms, honeydew and raspberry, are the next styles to arrive in Planned Parenthood clinics, says Newman. Two colored condoms, red and green, will follow next, she reports.
Focus groups, comprised of Planned Parenthood patients, were involved in the development of the products, says Newman.
"We feel really fortunate that we, as a nonprofit, are saying to our clients and patients, Tell us what you want; give us your feedback on what you want in a condom,’ because we want to see broad public access of this product," says Newman. "They are really driving the styles and the feel of the condom."
Planned Parenthood Mar Monte in San Jose, CA, the largest Planned Parenthood affiliate, worked closely with a group of Fresno commercial sex workers in gathering acceptability information on the condoms, says Lynn Fielder, MA, MPH, vice president of medical services. The affiliate provides HIV education and other services to the workers, so it enlisted their help in evaluating the products.
"Very favorable reviews came back from them, so we’re excited about that," says Fielder. "All around, the reviews have been excellent, the feedback has been really good, and I think we’re excited about having the first Planned Parenthood product available to our clients."
Many Planned Parenthood affiliates are participating in a free distribution of the new condoms, which is advertised on the condom page of the Planned Parenthood web site (www.planned parenthood.org/condom). Since different affiliates receive various funding sources for condom supplies, there is no one set charge for the condom, explains Newman.
With the toll-free telephone number plainly visible on every condom wrapper, Planned Parenthood officials see an excellent opportunity to fulfill its mission of ensuring broad public access to reproductive health care, says Newman.
"They are the only product on the market that has aftercare built into it," observes Fielder. "If the condom breaks or comes off, a woman can call the 800 number and be connected to one of our clinics and get emergency contraception. The full circle of care is tremendously exciting."
• Susan Allocco, Planned Parenthood Federation of America. E-mail: [email protected].
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