Durex recalls condoms with N-9 lubricant

Main Category: HIV / AIDS
Article Date: 21 Jan 2004 - 0:00 PDT

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Durex producers have stopped production of the condoms that contain a lubricant. This lubricant is supposed to prevent infection. However, there are some doubts about that now.

This lubricant was supposed to provide protection against infections such as HIV. The lubricant is called nonoxynol-9 (N-9).

According to recent studies, the lubricant may actually be increasing the risk of infection.

The Centres for Disease Control (USA), The WHO and UNAIDS have raised concern.

The National AIDS Trust (UK Charity) has been campaigning for the removal of N-9 from condoms for a while and says that this is a very welcome decision.

Keith Winestein, campaigns manager (of the UK trust), said, 'A raft of agencies and organisations agree that N-9 is harmful and it needs to be removed from any products that might put the consumer at risk.'

He went on to ask the UK government to remove all condoms (which have this lubricant) manufactured in the UK as well as those sent abroad.

N-9 has had many uses. It was originally developed as a detergent. For over half a century it has been used as a spermicidal vaginal cream (kills sperm cells).

Recent research has shown that N-9 irritates (and breaks up) the first line of defence from HIV and other diseases (the cell lining of the rectum and the vagina). This would make it easier for a virus to invade (or any infective organism).

The vagina has a wall that is 40 cells thick. The rectum only has a single-cell wall. Therefore, this lubricant could be extremely dangerous for anal sex.

The increased risk of infection (with condoms that have this lubricant in comparison with condoms that don't) is if the condom slips, breaks or is misused.