NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Condoms designed to meet international
size specifications are too big for many Indian men as their
penises fall short of what manufacturers had anticipated, an Indian
study has found.
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The Indian Council of Medical Research, a leading state-run centre,
said its initial findings from a two-year study showed 60 percent
of men in the financial capital Mumbai had penises about 2.4 cm
(one inch) shorter than those condoms catered for.
For a further 30 percent, the difference was at least 5 cm (two
inches). A poor fit meant the prophylactics often didn't do the job
they were bought for, and led to some tearing or slipping off
during use.
"One of the reasons for a failure of up to 20 percent (of condoms)
is the association of the size of the condom to the erect penis,"
the council's Dr. Chander Puri told Reuters, adding another reason
was couples often put them on in a hurry.
Puri said many men in India, which has the world's highest
HIV positive caseload, were too shy to ask for condoms.
"We need more vending machines for condoms of different sizes so
people can pick a condom with confidence that is suited to their
needs," he said.
The Times of India reported the ICMR survey had studied 1,400 men
between 18-50 years of age in cities like Mumbai and New Delhi as
well as in rural areas in a report. It entitled its story "Indian
men don't measure up"
