France to reimburse condoms

Paris: The French government said it would take the rare step of reimbursing prescription-bought condoms to combat the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.

The measure, which covers Frenchmade Eden condoms obtained on prescription from a doctor or midwife, was announced ahead of World AIDS Day on Saturday.

Produced by Majorelle laboratories and sold only in pharmacies, Eden condoms cost a fraction of leading brands such as Durex or Manix at 

2.60 (RM12.3) for a box of 12. They are the first to be approved for reimbursement by France’s national health authority, one of the few in Europe to do so.

In a statement the company hailed the announcement as “sending a strong signal that it (a condom) is not a sex toy but a real and indispensable prevention tool” in the fight against sexually transmitted infections.

In July, a health department study showed cases of chlamydia and gonococcus – two common STIs – tripling in France between 2012 and 2016, with 15-24 year-olds particularly affected.

The study indicated the rise was due to people having sex with “an increasing number of partners cou- pled with the non-systematic use of condoms”.

Asked why its brand was selected, a spokesman for Majorelle, which was founded in 2012 with the stated aim of reducing inequality in access to health products, said: “We were the first to ask”.

The news was hailed by NGOs involved in the fight against HIV/ AIDS.

“Anything that facilitates access to prevention is good news,” said Florence Thune, head of the Sidaction association.

“There should be no financial obstacle, whatever the method,” she said.