Has the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation exhausted causes on which to spend its billions to the point where it's now funding condom development? That would seem to be the case after it announced the winners of its $100,000 condom contest, which began in March and ended with eleven condom champions on Wednesday, The New York Times reported.
Of course, the contest has larger philanthropic goals than merely producing a more human-friendly contraceptive. Yet, building a better condom is at the heart of those goals. If the eleven winners can make condoms more appealing while "significantly preserving and enhancing pleasure," as per the rules, usage should increase and the rates of unintended pregnancies, abortions, and sexual transmitted diseases should all decrease, according to Grand Challenges.
Many of the winners explored new materials besides latex. Apex Medical Technologies' (San Diego) proposal envisioned using collagen from either a cow's Achilles tendon or fish skin to create a wrap similar to skin, The Times reported.
"They're unbelievably strong," said Apex CEO Ted McGlothlin, referring to the beef tendon he regularly purchases from a Vietnamese grocery. "I could yank all day and not break this thing."
University of Oregon chemical engineer Richard Chartoff is one of at least two winners to propose polyurethane, which he would manipulate into a "one-size fits all" substance that conformed to each individual's shape.
The California Family Health Council in Los Angeles chose to use polyethylene plastic for a condom that "clings like Saran Wrap rather than squeezes," according to VP for research Ron Frezieres. Three of the Family Health Council's contraptions would fit in a package the size of a credit card and nearly as thin, according to The Times.
Another group, called Rapidom, also focused on convenience by including two pull tabs to inform users of the correct orientation. "How to improve the donning" is important, according to Dr. Papa Salif Sow, a Gates senior program officer, in places like "sub-Saharan Africa," where "sex is basically done with low light and it might be very difficult to see the direction of the condom."
Winners received $100,000 each and could see up to a $1 million in funding as they develop their ideas, according to The Times. Some groups have even decided to work together.
