By Maggie Fox, Reuters
WASHINGTON (Jan. 5) - The consumers group best known for rating cars and washing machines has turned its testing prowess to condoms to find out which ones measure up best and how other birth control methods compare.
An assortment of condoms offered during a World AIDS Day ceremony at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield, Ill., Dec. 1, 2004.
The nonprofit Consumers Union says in a new guide to contraception that the seven top U.S. types of condom they studied did not burst despite vigorous testing, and all models met international standards.
But results showed that the top brand, able to take the most punishment, was the Durex Extra Sensitive Lubricated Latex, according to the report.
Other top-performers include the Durex Performax Lubricated, Lifestyles Classic Collection Ultra Sensitive Lubricated and TheyFit Lubricated.
A melon-colored model distributed by Planned Parenthood performed the worst, bursting during a test in which the latex condoms were filled with air.
The group says its review of contraceptives was not politically motivated, although there is an intense debate among health professionals and advocacy groups about the focus on abstinence-only education by the Bush administration.
"We plan our testing programs quite a while in advance. This is purely accidental," said senior editor Nancy Metcalf.
Consumers Union uses standardized tests to rate the products it examines, which for latex condoms involves filling them with air. There is no accepted method to test silicon or non-latex condoms.
"You end up with a balloon 3 feet (a metre) tall and a foot (30 cm) wide. They can really stretch an amazing amount," Metcalf said in a telephone interview.
The New York-based organization, which publishes the Consumer Reports magazine, also tested 16 other contraceptive choices.
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