Browsing: HIV and AIDS

In March of 2013, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation announced the commencement of a grant competition to facilitate innovative companies to develop condoms of the future. The idea was to develop the next-generation condom that significantly preserves or enhances pleasure, in order to improve uptake and regular use,” according to the foundation’s Global Grand Challenges website. The most promising designers would score $100,000 in seed funding, plus a chance at an additional $1 million to further finance their projects.

Years down the line, none of the recipients has come up with a condom worth noting. Only around 5% of men worldwide are estimated to use them — despite their 98% effectiveness at preventing unwanted pregnancy and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV. The main reason has been explained as lack of “enough pleasure” or reaction to latex-the main material for development of condoms.

As the world marks …