Posted on 05/28/2004 3:00:49 PM PDT by Grig
BERLIN (Reuters) - Most condoms contain a cancer-causing chemical and their manufacture should be subject to greater quality control, a German scientific research institute said Friday.
The Chemical and Veterinary Investigation Institute in Stuttgart, Germany, said it found the carcinogen N-Nitrosamine present in 29 of 32 types of condoms it tested in simulated conditions.
"N-Nitrosamine is one of the most carcinogenic substances," the study's authors said. "There is a pressing need for manufacturers to tackle this problem."
The carcinogen is thought to be present in a substance used to improve condom elasticity. When the rubber material comes in contact with human bodily fluids, it can release traces of N-Nitrosamine, the study said.
Local government officials said condom users should not stop using rubber contraceptives based on results of the study because N-Nitrosamine does not present an immediate health danger.
But Germany's Federal Institute for Risk Assessment said that daily condom use exposed users to N-Nitrosamine levels up to three times higher than levels naturally present in food.
ROTFL! I'm sorry, but this is funny.
Dihydrogen Monoxide Alert!!!
Did the simulated trials cover the most likely uses or the worst case scenarios. I'm talking about the 2 minutes 2x/month vs the 1 hour 4x/week scenarios.
The vast majority of "users" of condoms would fall into the first category.
Some days, the jokes just write themselves.
"Study Says Condoms Contain Cancer-Causing Substance"
Man, imagine how dangerous a penis must be when it ISN'T in a condom, if it can still cause cancer while INSIDE one!!! ;)
It's a wonder most boys don't die of hand cancer before they leave puberty.
Then I guess this could be harmful to someone like Wilt Chamberlain.
You want me to put WHAT on the hamsters before they have sex?
Must be the same size condoms DemocRATs use.
It was proven long ago that there is a 5% failure rate in condoms. That means that 5% of the condoms used will either not protect against a disease, or pregnancy.
Well, you say, those are pretty good odds.
Right. Unless you are one of the 5%.
Let's put that into perspective.
Let's say that I have a terrific deal for you. I have a plane that seats 100 people. I am willing to fill the plane with people wanting to vacation in Hawaii, and fly them there for free. There is only one catch. 5 seats will fall through the floor during the flight and we have no way of knowing which 5.
That's only half of the problem though.
Since folks rarely use the same condom twice, we will have to fly back in a different plane with the same problem.
Are you starting to get a picture of the problem now? EVERY time you use a condom there is a 5% chance it will not protect you.
This fact hasn't diminished the trust people put in condoms. If the threat of AIDS hasn't affected the use of condoms I doubt that the threat of cancer will either. So it is doubtful that the makers will be phased by this information.
Time to be serious. What level is considered dangerous? 100 times the amount "naturally present in food"? Or two times the amount "naturally present in food"? Common sense says it is likly to be closer to the first then the second. < /serious>
in 29 of 32 types of condoms it tested in simulated conditions.
I don't think I want to know. In fact I am sure I am too young and innocent to know.
This ain't funny. If you smoke, you get lung cancer. If you chew, you get mouth cancer. If you use a condom, you get....well, when it comes to Squirmin Herman The One-Eyed German, cancer ain't funny.
No more condoms
One evil vice down .... well .. I can live with the other one.
"It was proven long ago that there is a 5% failure rate in condoms. That means that 5% of the condoms used will either not protect against a disease, or pregnancy."
Someone once told me that that includes intentional sabotage. So it may be lower than 5%.
"...daily condom use exposed users to N-Nitrosamine levels up to three times higher than levels naturally present in food..."
It was proven long ago that there is a 5% failure rate in condoms. That means that 5% of the condoms used will either not protect against a disease, or pregnancy.
Well, I use birth control that is only 95% effective (spermicide), or worse, but I'm happy with those odds. A lot of the failure rate with contraceptives is user error anyway. Plus I'm 35 now and not as fertile as I used to be, I'm sure.
And since I'm happily married with three children another baby wouldn't be the end of the world anyway.
They use it in nipples for baby bottles. THINK OF THE CHILDREN!
You can extract it from bacon. It is only a anticipated human carcinogen which means that maybe it could possibly cause cancer. Or not.
There are no OSHA Permissible Exposure Limits Which means that they have not been able to decide at what dosage this would be dangerous if it was dangerous at all.
Having to put up MSDS for that known (according to the NTP) human carcinogen, sand I take it all with a grain of sodium chloride. For which I also had to put up a MSDS.
No cancer is not funny. But this is. They are trying to scare you. Don't let them.
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