SA's 'Mr Condom' goes global
24 April 2003
An expert from the Standards South Africa, the standards division of the SABS, has been appointed to lead an international committee that sets global standards for condoms.
According to The Citizen newspaper, Graham Holloway, the former head of Standards SA's strategy and systems development group, will chair the technical committee on mechanical contraceptives of the International Organisation for Standardisation for the next six years.
"This is a great honour for South Africa and Standards South Africa, and I look forward to working with leading world experts to improve the existing international standards," Holloway told The Citizen this week.
Apart from improving the standards of male latex condoms, Holloway - dubed "Mr Condom" by his colleagues - will be involved in fixing new standards for synthetic condoms, female condoms, and a condom better suited for use by gay men, The Citizen reported.
South Africa's department of health
buys 400 million condoms annually to distribute for free in its campaign to fight HIV-Aids and sexually transmitted diseases. The SABS's laboratory carries out quality tests on samples of these condoms.
Holloway said that while the safety of condoms made from natural products could never be completely guaranteed, there was evidence suggesting that most condom failures were the result of incorrect usage.
SouthAfrica.info reporter
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