Russia Bans Durex Condoms

[fountainhall]

It has become one of the most homophobic countries. Its HIV/AIDS prevention policy concentrates on treatment while neglecting recognised prevention methods such as sex education in schools and promoting condom use. Experts agree that the number of infections is soaring as a result.

Now Russia has banned Durex condoms. The company has a 25% market share in the country. The reason? “A bureaucratic issue regarding the products’ registration,” say the country’s health authorities. Not to worry, though. These same authorities add there are plenty of condoms available (well, there would be, if their use is not encouraged!) with 60 other brands on sale. And Durex could be back on the shelves - eventually.

So, yet another blow for gays in Russia where HIV positive rates are “at least 1 million and possibly as many as 1.5 million” according to the head of the country’s state AIDS centre. Russia now has more HIV cases per person than any other European country than Estonia. 57% of infections are as result of drug use. Russia has the largest number of intravenous drug users in the world according to the British medical journal, The Lancet.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jun/17/durex-condoms-withdrawn-in-russia
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/russian-hiv-cases-reach-record-high-of-over-a-million-a6828816.html

[Moses]

It has become one of the most homophobic countries. Its HIV/AIDS prevention policy concentrates on treatment while neglecting recognised prevention methods such as sex education in schools and promoting condom use. Experts agree that the number of infections is soaring as a result.

Now Russia has banned Durex condoms. The company has a 25% market share in the country. The reason? “A bureaucratic issue regarding the products’ registration,” say the country’s health authorities. Not to worry, though. These same authorities add there are plenty of condoms available (well, there would be, if their use is not encouraged!) with 60 other brands on sale. And Durex could be back on the shelves - eventually.

So, yet another blow for gays in Russia where HIV positive rates are “at least 1 million and possibly as many as 1.5 million” according to the head of the country’s state AIDS centre. Russia now has more HIV cases per person than any other European country than Estonia. 57% of infections are as result of drug use. Russia has the largest number of intravenous drug users in the world according to the British medical journal, The Lancet.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jun/17/durex-condoms-withdrawn-in-russia
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/russian-hiv-cases-reach-record-high-of-over-a-million-a6828816.html


The story in Guardian looks like true reflected in bended mirror.

Durex condoms has been banned cuz company not made product testing and registration in accordance with Russian standards , also they were not properly marked as it demands by Russian law. While DUREX condoms are banned all other products of this brand are on shelfs since they tested and registered (for example lubricants). As per me: I don't see any tragedy in this story - at the same price niche are working other brands such as Contex and Visit - they will take market share of Durex.

About HIV: Russia isn't the second one country by HIV spreading: Estonia has 1.2%, Ukraine has 1.1%, Russia has 0.58% as per UNAIDS.org

Also about drug using: if you will open "first hands" report from unodc.org you will see what most proved opiate using country in Eastern Europe is Ukraine

[fountainhall]

Thanks for pointing out that article's inaccuracies. But I am curious about one thing. There is an article in another UK newspaper, The Telegraph, dated 24 November 2009. In this the boss of SSL, the company that then owned the Durex brand, talks about its newly acquired Russian enterprise and how well sales in Russia were progressing. Have Durex condoms been available for so long without the correct paperwork? If it had gained 25% market share, they must surely have been available for some years. Yet it is only now that the paperwork is required?

[Moses]

Thanks for pointing out that article's inaccuracies. But I am curious about one thing. There is an article in another UK newspaper, The Telegraph, dated 24 November 2009. In this the boss of SSL, the company that then owned the Durex brand, talks about its newly acquired Russian enterprise and how well sales in Russia were progressing. Have Durex condoms been available for so long without the correct paperwork? If it had gained 25% market share, they must surely have been available for some years. Yet it is only now that the paperwork is required?

No, their condoms were under old standard and covered by old certificates and were tested in accordance, but certificates were old and Durex had to renew, but didn't in time. As per news in Russian newspapers Durex send new docs to Russian Federal Agency (like FDA in US) yesterday. Mainly it touchs products where kind of anesthetic has been used in covering lubricants.

Here in mass medias and in social networks are published a lot of humors about this case :) Sorry I can't translate cuz it is game of Russian words which means condoms and name of condoms in slang which means also bad guys (close to meaning English word "faggot") which sounds very closely to "condoms" - "gondons". Nobody takes this case seriously. I think it will even make Durex more known brand at local market.