| TITLE : Effectiveness of the condom in preventing STD |
TEXT :
For Release October 16, 2002
Contact: Jeff Rosenberg - (301) 972-0646
Scientific Review of Condom Effectiveness Research Reveals Condoms Provide
Inadequate Risk Reduction for Sexually Transmitted Diseases
WASHINGTON, DC (October 16, 2002) - A new scientific report released today reveals that condoms, even when used 100 percent of the time, fail to reduce the risk of some of the most common and potentially dangerous sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) to an acceptable level.
Sex, Condoms, and STDs: What We Now Know, released today by The Medical Institute for Sexual Health, reviews findings of all significant research and professional presentations about the ability of condoms to reduce the risk of STDs. The report is authored by some of the nation's leading experts on sexually transmitted diseases and condom research.
"America is facing an epidemic of STDs - more than 15 million new STD infections per year," commented Joe S. McIlhaney, Jr., MD, president of The Medical Institute. "It is imperative that Americans understand what the science says about the limits of condoms in keeping them safe from STDs, many of which can have life-altering consequences, including infertility and cancer."
Key findings of Sex, Condoms, and STDs include:
a.. Condoms must be used 100 percent of the time and used correctly during all the years an unmarried individual is engaged in sexual activity to provide any reasonable hope of avoiding STD infection and potential disease from infected partners (except for herpes and HIV where less than 100 percent condom use can provide some risk reduction).
b.. Even 100 percent condom use does not eliminate the risk of any STD including HIV.
c.. One hundred percent use of condoms for many years is so uncommon that it is almost a purely theoretical concept except for very few, very meticulous individuals. Even among adults who knew that their partner had HIV, only 56 percent used condoms every time (and the median follow up was only 24 months).
d.. There is no evidence of any risk reduction for sexual transmission of human papillomavirus infection (HPV) even with 100 percent condom use.
e.. Syphilis transmission is reduced from 29 percent to 50 percent with 100 percent condom use, leaving 50 to 71 percent relative risk of infection. ("Relative risk" does not mean the actual percentage risk of infection but rather refers to the calculated difference of risk between using a condom and not using a condom.)
f.. Gonorrhea transmission is reduced by approximately 50 percent with 100 percent condom use leaving an approximate 50 percent relative risk of infection.
g.. Chlamydia transmission is reduced by approximately 50 percent with 100 percent condom use, still leaving an approximate 50 percent risk of becoming infected with Chlamydia.
h.. A recent study showed that with 25 percent or more condom use, the risk of transmission of genital herpes is reduced for females but not for males. Expanded data by the same author, as yet unpublished but presented at a national STD conference, show risk reduction of approximately 40 percent for both males and females when condoms were used for 65 percent or more of sex acts leaving an approximate 60 percent relative risk of infection.
i.. HIV sexual transmission is reduced by approximately 85 percent with 100 percent condom use leaving an approximate 15 percent relative risk of infection with this usually fatal disease.
j.. For the approximately twenty other STDs, not enough data exist to say whether or not condoms offer any risk reduction from sexual transmission.
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For Release October 16, 2002
Contact: Jeff Rosenberg - (301) 972-0646
Scientific Review of Condom Effectiveness Research Reveals Condoms Provide
Inadequate Risk Reduction for Sexually Transmitted Diseases
WASHINGTON, DC (October 16, 2002) ? A new scientific report released today reveals that condoms, even when used 100 percent of the time, fail to reduce the risk of some of the most common and potentially dangerous sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) to an acceptable level.
Sex, Condoms, and STDs: What We Now Know, released today by The Medical Institute for Sexual Health, reviews findings of all significant research and professional presentations about the ability of condoms to reduce the risk of STDs. The report is authored by some of the nation’s leading experts on sexually transmitted diseases and condom research.
“America is facing an epidemic of STDs ? more than 15 million new STD infections per year,” commented Joe S. McIlhaney, Jr., MD, president of The Medical Institute. “It is imperative that Americans understand what the science says about the limits of condoms in keeping them safe from STDs, many of which can have life-altering consequences, including infertility and cancer.”
Key findings of Sex, Condoms, and STDs include:
Condoms must be used 100 percent of the time and used correctly during all the years an unmarried individual is engaged in sexual activity to provide any reasonable hope of avoiding STD infection and potential disease from infected partners (except for herpes and HIV where less than 100 percent condom use can provide some risk reduction).
Even 100 percent condom use does not eliminate the risk of any STD including HIV.
One hundred percent use of condoms for many years is so uncommon that it is almost a purely theoretical concept except for very few, very meticulous individuals. Even among adults who knew that their partner had HIV, only 56 percent used condoms every time (and the median follow up was only 24 months).
There is no evidence of any risk reduction for sexual transmission of human papillomavirus infection (HPV) even with 100 percent condom use.
Syphilis transmission is reduced from 29 percent to 50 percent with 100 percent condom use, leaving 50 to 71 percent relative risk of infection. (“Relative risk” does not mean the actual percentage risk of infection but rather refers to the calculated difference of risk between using a condom and not using a condom.)
Gonorrhea transmission is reduced by approximately 50 percent with 100 percent condom use leaving an approximate 50 percent relative risk of infection.
Chlamydia transmission is reduced by approximately 50 percent with 100 percent condom use, still leaving an approximate 50 percent risk of becoming infected with Chlamydia.
A recent study showed that with 25 percent or more condom use, the risk of transmission of genital herpes is reduced for females but not for males. Expanded data by the same author, as yet unpublished but presented at a national STD conference, show risk reduction of approximately 40 percent for both males and females when condoms were used for 65 percent or more of sex acts leaving an approximate 60 percent relative risk of infection.
HIV sexual transmission is reduced by approximately 85 percent with 100 percent condom use leaving an approximate 15 percent relative risk of infection with this usually fatal disease.
For the approximately twenty other STDs, not enough data exist to say whether or not condoms offer any risk reduction from sexual transmission.
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