New Cost-Efficient Female Condom To Help HIV Prevention Efforts In New York City
New York City’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene recently announced plans to distribute the Female Health Company’s (FHC) second-generation FC2 Female Condom, which was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration earlier this year.
The second generation FC2 Female Condom is composed of nitrile, a synthetic rubber polymer, whereas the first generation FC1 Female Condom is composed of polyurethane.
Through various research studies, it was determined that nitrile can be manufactured with a less expensive process and still provide the same amount of protection as polyurethane. This change in manufacturing has helped FHC reduce the cost of FC2 by 30 percent as compared to FC1, allowing for overall price reductions.
The FHC focused on the development of FC2 in order to spread affordable access to the only female prevention product currently available for protection from HIV.
“It is important to find cost-effective ways to ensure access to safe and effective HIV prevention,” said Dr. Monica Sweeney, Assistant Commissioner of the Health Department’s Bureau of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control, in a press release. “The new FDA-approved female condom will expand access to woman-initiated HIV and STI prevention, and it will help us make continued progress in reducing NYC’s HIV infection rate.”
Currently, NYC is the nation’s largest FC1 female condom distributor. With the introduction of FC2, there is potential for improvement in NYC’s HIV prevention efforts.
Internationally, FC2 has been available since 2005. Currently, more than 90 countries have been distributing it through their national HIV prevention programs. In the fiscal year 2008, nearly 35 million units of FC female condoms (FC1 and FC2) were distributed worldwide.
The FC female condom is the only FDA approved female-initiated method of HIV prevention. The female condom provides women and men with an alternative method of HIV prevention when a partner refuses to wear a male condom.
One of the main contributing factors to the limited use and spread of FC female condoms is the high cost. With the introduction of the less expensive FC2, women will have increased access to a cost-effective prevention method.
Another contributing factor is the lack of education and awareness of the product. Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe recently became the first countries to increase distribution through programs that educate women about how to use female condoms and how to discuss it with their partners.
In an effort to introduce and spread awareness of FC2 in NYC, the FHC has plans to hold a one-day education seminar for women currently using FC1.
For more information, please see the press release from Female Health Company.
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