The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is offering a US$100,000 grant to anyone who can come up with an improved, next generation condom. It said that it is looking for a design that “significantly preserves or enhances pleasure, in order to improve uptake and regular use. The foundation also says that the success of condoms as a public health tool hinges on it being used consistently and correctly.
Researchers have found that women, particularly those in the sex trade, often face difficulties negotiating condom use, while most men prefer sex without a condom.