Knocked Up Because of Knock Off Or How To Protect The Protection

The US condom brand Trojan had problems with Chinese counterfeiters, read 'Born Thanks To Counterfeiters' medio 2008. However, it became clear that also other brands are coping with trademark infringements. Usage of these counterfeits can cause serious health problems (sexual transmittable diseases) and unplanned pregnancy, because of substandard quality.

Several, if not all, condom brands in China, including Durex (who has a rather progressive audio advertisement in China, listen here) are hit by the knock-off condoms.

Read the LA Times article 'China's latest scandal is counterfeit condoms' by John Glionna here and the Times Online article 'Chinese police raid workshop producing counterfeit condoms' by Jane Macartney here.

According to the Durex Sexual Wellbeing Global Survey 2008, 78% of the Chinese have sex weekly, but only 24% were able to achieve an orgasm everytime they had sex. An explanation could be that the anxiety over whether a condom is counterfeit or not, is probably not conducive to the sexual wellbeing in China. Read more here.

Given human nature, I think abstinence is not an option. So how to protect the protection? How do you spot a counterfeit product? The manufacturers should give tips regularly about this on their websites and maybe a unique number on each package which can be verified at their website. The manufacturer should also make it clear which distribution channels online and offline sell the genuine products.

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Born Thanks To Counterfeiters?

Mr Robert Kessler of Newsday tells about counterfeit ring raids and warns that counterfeit condom of the Trojan Horse brand can be less than effective in preventing pregnancies and protect against diseases.

"A spokeswoman for Church and Dwight, the company that manufactures the legitimate Trojan condoms in the United States, declined to comment on whether the counterfeit Chinese condoms could fail to prevent pregnancies or the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. But a source familiar with the federal investigation said that while the counterfeit condoms were of inferior quality, samples had been tested and they were no riskier to use than legitimate ones."

Ironically, these counterfeit Trojan Horse condoms could be like the trojan horse in the classical sense (striking unexpectedly, leaving the victim unprotected)

Read Mr Kessler's article here.

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