March 8, 2010

DC Is First U.S. City to Distribute Free Female Condoms

In the next month, Washington, DC, will become the first U.S. city to hand out free female condoms, distributing 500,000 of the prophylactics in beauty salons, convenience stores and high schools in sections of the city with high HIV rates, The Washington Post reports. The program is funded through a $500,000 grant from the M·A·C AIDS Fund, which also supports the city’s needle exchange programs.

“Anywhere male condoms are available, female condoms will be available,” said Shannon Hader, director of DC’s HIV/AIDS Administration. “We’re trying to make every effort count, to build on what already exists…to expand options rather than limit them.”

Female condom distribution could begin within the next three weeks to communities in wards 1, 2, 3, 6 and 7, where a study showed many African-American heterosexuals engage in risky sexual behavior that may lead to the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.

A report released last summer showed that at least 3 percent of DC’s population is living with HIV/AIDS.

Search: Washington, D.C., female condom, HIV/AIDS, STI, African Americans

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Previous Comments:

Keith Edwards, Philadelphia, 2010-03-14 13:53:51
Why are we treating this like it is a new thing? Why have we down this before? Are women any less then men in this fight? Please, lets continue.....

Rael Slavensky, RN, MPH, Rock Island, 2010-03-11 15:48:08
The state of Illinois has been distributing free female condoms for years. At our local health department, I give away 200-300 'Reality' condoms a year, to both males and females; the inner ring can be removed for anal sex. While this has not been an 'approved' use of the 'female' condom, a small study done by the Howard Brown Clinic in Chicago has shown its safety and efficacy. I admit, it's been an uphill battle, as local practitioners have downplayed the usefulness of this device.

jecinta, kenya, 2010-03-11 07:55:13
high, kindly do the same for the African countries and am sure together we shall combat the scourge. Africa is being left out in so many projects yet it is a pilot for the developed countries in a number of cross cutting issues.

mj, usa, 2010-03-09 13:12:40
in mn. they hand them out and have for years so not dc is not the first place to do this many states and citys all over the us include the female condom in free clinics etc, dc is not the first and for the record dc is not a state or a city they are and always have been the district of columbia remember school and geograghy ???

Virginia, Shreveport, 2010-03-09 11:59:27
We have been distributing free female condoms since 2003 at the Philadelphia Center in Shreveport, La. They were called Reality Condoms when we first started.