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A condom with a kick

May 1, 2005 5:43 PM

A condom with a kick that promotes safe sex will soon be on sale in Britain.

The contraceptive, to be included in the Durex range, contains a chemical that stimulates an erection.

By maintaining a man's performance throughout sexual intercourse, it is designed to prevent unwanted accidents.

It may also help men who find love-making with a condom a flop, and are therefore less willing to practise safe sex.

The product, currently known as the "condom safety device" CSD500, was designed by scientists at Futura Medical, based in Guildford, Surrey.

A deal was struck for SSL International, owners of the Durex brand, to distribute it worldwide.

Assuming it gets regulatory approval, the condom could be available from British chemists within 18 months.

James Barder, chief executive of Futura Medical, said: "Research has shown that at least two per cent of condoms slip off during intercourse.

"Around 13 billion condoms are used worldwide each year. So you're talking about 260 million of these accidents, which can result both in unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections.

"One of the major reasons for the problem is that at times men don't maintain a full erection during intercourse."

The CSD500 condom contains a chemical in its teat, called glyceryl trinitrate (GTN), which is absorbed into the skin and causes blood vessels to dilate.

This in turn increases blood flow into the penis to maintain an erection.

The impotence pill Viagra works in a similar way, but uses a different approach.

Barder said that, unlike Viagra, the condom was meant for men who do not suffer from impotence problems.

But even sexually healthy men could find themselves unable to maintain an erection while wearing a condom because of the loss of sensation.

"Condoms are designed with sensitivity in mind, but the analogy I like to use is if you put on a pair of earmuffs you are partially deaf," said Barder.

A market survey conducted for the company in 2001 showed that 88% of existing condom users would be interested in buying an erection-boosting condom.

Significantly, 49% of men who did not use condoms said they would also consider using the CDS500.

"We hope it's going to promote safe sex," said Barder. "Clearly, this is one of the rationales behind the product."

The condom was tested on 24 men aged 18 to 50 in an unusual trial in which volunteers were shown sexually stimulating images while their erections were measured.

Other studies were carried out to demonstrate that it was safe.

Futura Medical had to tread a careful line to ensure the effect of the condom was not too strong.

There was a risk that above a certain potency, it would be classified as a drug-delivery device rather than a contraceptive. It would then be subject to much tougher medical regulations, delaying its launch and increasing costs.

The company is developing a more powerful version of the GTN gel used in the condom as an impotence treatment.