Condom machine

Condom vending machine outside an Italian pharmacy

A condom machine is a vending machine for the sale of condoms. Condom machines are often placed in public toilets, subway stations and airports as a public health measure to promote safe sex. Many pharmacies also keep one outside, for after-hours access. Rare examples exist to dispense female condoms.^[1]

History

Condom vending machines were introduced in 1928 by Julius Fromm's company.

Popular culture

In the novel Porterhouse Blue, conflict over an attempt to introduce such a device to a Cambridge college, is one of the factors that leads to murder.

Safety Advice

According to the United States Food and Drug Administration, when using condoms from a machine, one should check the expiration date, that the condoms are latex and labelled for disease prevention, and that the machine is not exposed to direct sunlight or other source of extreme temperatures^[2].

See also

• Safe sex
• Emergency contraception

References

1. ^ "First Female Condom Machine Is Launched in France". http://www.thebody.com/cdc/news_updates_archive/mar14_02/france_condoms.html. Retrieved 2007-03-25. 
2. ^ "U.S. Food and Drug Administration". http://www.fda.gov/oashi/aids/condom.html. Retrieved 2007-03-26.