The evidence is very clear.

Condoms contain FDA listed carcinogens, teratogens and toxins in
substantial quantities.

A major German study has said they pose o 'life threatening risk'.

18 million Americans now suffer from latex allergies and many have died.

The FDA have stated that under 1% of latex deaths are reported.

Anal cancer has vastly increased since the widespread use of condoms.

Hundreds of studies have linked condoms with a number of serious
conditions.

THE EVIDENCE IS CLEAR - CONDOMS KILL.

Latex

Natural rubber latex (NRL) has emerged over the last decade as an
increasingly common trigger for anaphylaxis-producing allergies. It is
found in a wide range of manufactured goods, including an estimated 40,000
common household items. Latex allergies now affect an estimated 1% to 6%
of the U.S. population and the reasons for the increase in incidence can
be attributed to biohazard precautions and manufacturing changes.1-3

Latex allergy is an allergic sensitivity to the proteins in NRL that often
worsens with each exposure, a phenomenon known as allergic sensitization.
Allergic reactions to latex can range from moderate skin irritations to
life-threatening anaphylaxis.

You may be interested in learning more about latex allergies including
information on variations in severity, who is at risk, and prevention and
treatment.

Reasons for Increased Incidence

Prior to the 1980s, reactions to latex were virtually unknown in the
United States. Now, recent estimates put the incidence of latex
sensitivity or allergy among the general U.S. population at between 1% and
6%, or up to 16 million people.1-3

Reasons for the increase in latex allergy incidence include:

*    Biohazard precautions
*    Manufacturing changes

Biohazard precautions
It is commonly acknowledged that the sudden, large-scale increase in latex
glove use by health care workers since the 1980s lies at the heart of the
growing problem of latex allergy. As health care workers sought to protect
themselves from AIDS and other blood-borne diseases, latex glove use
became virtually universal in hospitals and other medical and dental
facilities. Patients, and especially health care workers, were exposed to
more latex than ever before and many have become sensitized to it.

Manufacturing changes
To keep up with increased demand, manufacturers sped up their processes
and resorted to lower quality latex, both of which have resulted in latex
products with higher levels of the protein that can trigger allergic
reactions.

Definition

Latex allergy is an allergic sensitivity to the proteins in natural rubber
latex (NRL) that often worsens with each exposure and at its most severe
can result in deadly anaphylaxis. Unlike synthetic latex, which rarely
causes allergic reactions, NRL comes from the milky sap of rubber trees.
Using various processing techniques, NRL is used alone or in combination
with other materials to make thousands of products including:

*    Car tires
*    Rubber bands
*    Elastic
*    Carpet backing
*    Hospital and dental equipment

Dipped latex products are the biggest culprits in triggering allergic
reactions, including:

*    Gloves
*    Balloons
*    Condoms

Allergic Sensitization

Sensitization occurs when exposure to latex proteins causes the body's
immune system to develop antibodies to these proteins. Because the body
perceives the latex protein as a threatening foreign substance, it
prepares to launch a defense against it in future encounters using the
antibodies it has created. Therefore, people may have been sensitized to
latex without yet showing external allergic symptoms. They are, however,
at risk of becoming increasingly sensitized and eventually symptomatic if
exposure to latex continues.

Sensitization refers to an increasingly strong allergic reaction to the
same amount of allergen over time.

Antibodies are proteins that help the body to identify specific foreign
invaders to the body, such as latex and other allergens.

Reactions to Latex

Because latex can cause local skin irritation, or dermatitis, as well as
more severe allergic reactions, it is important to distinguish between
these so that symptoms of potentially fatal allergic reactions are
recognized and treated, and proper precautions against future reactions
are taken.

Dermatitis
Two types of skin irritations, or dermatitis, are common among frequent
users of latex products, particularly glove-wearing health care workers:

*    Irritant-contact dermatitis
Raw, inflamed, even blistered skin that can also be caused by frequent
hand washing, wearing nonbreathable gloves, and exposure to irritating
chemicals.

*    Allergic-contact dermatitis (delayed hypersensitivity)
Allergic reactions that result in a delayed skin rash is similar to that
caused by poison ivy. In contrast to systemic latex allergy, antibodies
are not involved to cause an immediate allergic reaction. Because these
reactions may be caused by the chemicals used in producing latex rather
than by the latex itself, changing to a different brand of latex products
that uses different processing chemicals may clear up the reaction.

While annoying, dermatitis reactions are not dangerous per se, nor
necessarily directly related to latex. There can, however, be progression
from dermatitis to latex allergy. Severe skin irritation can make a person
more susceptible to developing an allergic hypersensitivity to latex
because the skin no longer protects more sensitive internal tissues of the
body, which are more vulnerable to sensitization.

Latex allergy (immediate hypersensitivity)
True latex allergy occurs when the body's immune system becomes sensitized
to latex proteins, usually over the course of repeated exposure. As a
result of sensitization, the immune system overreacts to latex as a
hostile intruder.

Allergic symptoms range from irritating to life threatening, becoming
progressively worse with repeated exposure. Allergic symptoms include the
following, and may occur singly or in combination:

*    Itchy rashes, hives
*    Nasal congestion (rhinitis)
*    Swelling, especially around the nose, mouth, and throat
*    Eye irritation or conjunctivitis
*    Respiratory problems, including asthma and rhinoconjunctivitis

Full-blown anaphylaxis, which can include any of the above, can cause
death through suffocation or a severe drop in blood pressure.

Asthma is a condition in which the airways narrow due to an allergic
hypersensitivity.

Rhinoconjunctivitis is an allergic condition common in children during the
pollen season that is characterized by sneezing, runny nose, and nasal
congestion.

Since it's impossible to predict when an allergic reaction might escalate
into deadly anaphylaxis, and because it can take only minutes to do so,
it's important to take even seemingly mild allergic reactions seriously.
Thus, those who have experienced allergic symptoms in response to latex
should avoid further contact with it and consult their physicians about
carrying self-injectable epinephrine with them for anaphylactic
emergencies.

References

1.    Ownby DR, Ownby HE, et al. The prevalence of anti-latex IgE antibodies
in 1000 volunteer blood donors. J Allergy Clinl Immunol.
1996;97:1188-1192.
 
2.    Kelly KJ, Sussman G, Fink JN. Stop the sensitization. J Allergy Clin
Immunol. 1996;98:857-858.
 
3.    Arellano R, Bradley J, Sussman G. Prevalence of latex sensitization
among hospital physicians occupationally exposed to latex gloves.
Anesthesiology. 1992;77:905-908.

THE FDA SAYS ONLY 1% OF LATEX DEATHS ARE REPORTED

Delayed contact dermatitis from chemicals in rubber has been recognized
since the 1930s.4 But except for rare early reports, clinicians did not
appreciate systemic allergic reactions to latex proteins until 1979, when
case reports began to appear in Europe. 5

Latex allergy erupted in the United States shortly after the Centers for
Disease Control introduced universal precautions in 1987. By late 1992,
the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) received 1133 reports of serious
allergic reactions and anaphylaxis occurring to patients and health care
staff associated with 30 classes of latex medical devices. There were 15
patient deaths associated with latex barium enema catheters.5,6

The FDA estimated that the reports represented only 1% of actual
occurrences.6

Today, researchers hypothesize that the latex allergy outbreak is the
result of multiple factors including deficiencies in manufacturing
processes, increased latex exposure, hand care practices, immunological
cross reactivity, and changes in latex agricultural practices.1,7,8, 45

Latex allergy affects between 8%-12% of workers in all health disciplines.
Latex allergy also affects up to 51% of children with spina bifida, and
approximately 1% of the general population.

http://www.nursingworld.org/readroom/position/workplac/wklatex.htm

____________

New US government website attacked for comments on sexuality and
effectiveness of condoms

The wording of information about condoms on the site is also potentially
misleading (they mean factual). US abstinence education programmes usually
only mention condoms when referring to their potential for failure.

The 4parents.com site suggests that condoms offer only “moderate”
protection against HIV and gonorrhoea, “less” protection against
Chlamidya, herpes and human papilloma virus, and that the ability of
condoms to protect against syphilis “has not been well studied.” Although
these claims are backed by reference to studies looking at the
effectiveness of condoms, they do not acknowledge that the studies were,
almost exclusively, conducted in populations with a high prevalence, or
risk of sexually transmitted infections.

____

The rest of the article (attacking the new semi honest official statements
on condoms) is a pathetic attempt to defend condoms citing the one and
only study (if you can call it that) conducted over twelve years ago that
claimed that condoms reduced 'AIDS' in the 132 couples studied. As usual
the 'conclusions' section of that report which said 'in real world use
condoms failed up to 32% of the time' was ignored.

This study has been contradicted by ALL the 400 subsequent studies almost
without exception.

________

Do Condoms Protect Against Small Viruses?

The use of condoms is widely recommended to prevent sexually transmitted
diseases, including those caused by such viruses as herpes simplex,
hepatitis B, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The efficacy of
condoms in these circumstances, however, is unknown.

The water-leak test used to ensure the integrity of condoms can detect
holes as small as 3 to 4 m in diameter, but sexually transmitted viruses
are much smaller, with diameters of 0.04 to 0.15 m. A previous study
demonstrated that about one third of condoms tested allowed penetration of
HIV-sized polystyrene spheres.

________

Condom Use Linked to Risk of Preeclampsia

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/433419?srcmp=wh-051002

LOS ANGELES (Reuters Health) May 09 - Women who are not exposed to a
partner's sperm prior to pregnancy because the couple used condoms may be
at increased risk for developing preeclampsia, a new study presented here
concludes.

The findings suggest that when the uterus is repeatedly exposed to sperm,
a woman's immune system may become accustomed to this "foreign" genetic
material, said Dr. Jon I. Einarsson, an obstetrician/gynecologist at
Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

However, when a woman's body has only recently been introduced to the
sperm because she stopped using barrier contraception and was trying to
conceive, she may have an immune reaction to the paternal genetic material
that causes arterial damage and contributes to preeclampsia, Dr. Einarsson
suggested. This reaction may be heightened because the placenta produces
paternal proteins similar to those on sperm, he told Reuters Health.

Preeclampsia affects about 7% of pregnant women, yet little is understood
about why the condition develops, according to the American College of
Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). The Baylor study findings were
presented Wednesday during the College's annual meeting.

Dr. Einarsson described his team's findings for 113 women who developed
preeclampsia during their pregnancies and another 226 women who did not.

He said those who used barrier methods and had only been having sex with
their partners for a short period of time were most at risk. "Women who
used barrier methods who had been having sex with their partners for less
than 4 months prior to getting pregnant had a 6.5-fold increased risk of
getting preeclampsia, compared with women who did not use barrier methods
and had been in a sexual relationship for more than 12 months," he said.
Most women in the study who reported using barrier contraception relied on
condoms, while some also used diaphragms. Women who relied on the
withdrawal method also were included in this group.
"Women who use barrier methods exclusively prior to pregnancy should
consider changing to an alternative method 4 to 6 months prior to getting
pregnant, especially if they have other risk factors for preeclampsia,
such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or if they are overweight," Dr.
Einarsson recommended.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Reuters Health Information 2002. © 2002 Reuters Ltd

_________

Are condoms a greater health risk than the std's they don't really protect
against?

It is politically correct to advocate condoms but every day the evidence
increases that they do little to protect and may pose a very serious
health risk. It is hard for the CDC and FDA to examine these risks as they
have been so vocal in promoting condoms but could their silence lead to
dire consequences. I for one having done exaustive research strongly feel
so.

"...... new concerns are arising regarding allergic or other toxic
reactions to various components of latex condoms such as vulcanization
accelerators, latex proteins, spermicides and finishing powders."

"* Studies are needed to evaluate the best lubricants to use in the
manufacture of condoms. Evidence suggests that the right quantity, type
and placement of lubricant is important for condom functionality,
acceptability and safety.

In addition, the added value and risk presented by spermicidal lubricants
and by dry finishing powders (e.g. talc or cornstarch) should be
critically examined."

"Since the late 1980s the reported incidence
of allergy to natural rubber latex has increased dramatically, as much as
12 -fold."

"Latex allergy is incurable, although the symptoms, such as itching,
soreness, painful blistering, runny noses, swollen eyes, asthma symptoms
and anaphylaxis can be ameliorated.

Everyone who has contact wi th natural rubber latex is potentially at risk
from sensitisation.

Both patients and health care workers can be at risk from allergic
reactions to natural rubber latex. Over the past decade, allergic
reactions to natural
rubber latex have become a major public health concern."

" Once a person has developed latex allergy, however mild, they are
“sensitised” to latex and are at risk from severe allergic reactions."

"Delayed cell-mediated reactions are the most common form of
hypersensitivity reaction to natural rubber latex. These reactions are to
individual chemical residues from the production process such as
accelerants used in the vulcanisation process which is required to
strengthen the product.

The residual chemicals may bloo on the surface of the products and can be
absorbed through the skin upon contact."

"Potent Carcinogen found in Most Condoms

Recent study has discovered the presence of a very potent carcinogen in
most condoms. Small amounts of this chemical are released whenever condoms
are used.

Nobody knows whether this is serious yet however it is not likely to be
healthy to expose the reproductive organs to cancer-causing substances on
a regular basis.

This is a potentially serious issue for much of the world's population
that cannot afford or access other forms of birth control. I hope further
studies will follow on this soon. Could this be related to the rise in
cancer in women, and men as well? "

"Talc...(on condoms)...may result in fallopian tube fibrosis with
resultant infertility. Question raised by Doctors Kasper and Chandler in
Journal of the American Medical Association. (JAMA) 3/15/95
-from Nutrition Health Review, Summer 1995 n73p8(1)"

"A possible tie between talcum powder and ovarian cancer, long suspected
because of talc's chemical similarity to asbestos, was strongly supported
last week when a study found a higher risk of the cancer among women who
used feminine deodorant sprays. The study, published in the American
Journal of Epidemiology, found that women who used talcum powder in the
genital area had an increased ovarian cancer risk of 60% and women who
used feminine deodorant sprays had a 90% increased risk."

-from The University of California, Berkeley Wellness Letter, April 1993
v9n7p1

"Benzene. In addition to the effect on fertility, some researchers believe
overexposure to chemicals may also contribute to testicular cancers. In
fact, a 2000 study concluded that there was a link between sperm
abnormalities and testicular cancer.
Among the study participants, men in couples with fertility problems were
more likely to develop testicular cancer. In addition, low semen
concentration, poor sperm motility, and abnormal sperm morphology were all
associated with increased risk for testicular cancer."

"a recent Lancet study (2002;360:971-977) found frequent use may in fact
increase the risk of HIV transmission.
The head of the Australian Federation of AIDS Organizations, Don Baxter,
said up to 10 percent of condoms sold in Australia include nonoxynol-9 as
a lubricant. "Not a high percentage of condoms use nonoxynol-9, it's
usually a particular brand, but they are fairly widely available," he
said. Baxter advised all gay men to avoid using condoms with nonoxynol-9
and said AFAO would call for the product to be withdrawn from pharmacy
shelves. "

"The allergens that cause reactions in individuals with spina bifida are
particle bound proteins that are less able to be dissolved in water than
some of the other latex proteins"

*  Talc - This is found in baby powders, face powders, body powders as
well as some contraceptives such as condoms.  Talc is a known carcinogen
and is a major cause of ovarian cancer when used in the genital area.  It
can be harmful if inhaled as it can lodge in the lungs, causing
respiratory disorders."

Condoms contain compounds known to cause cancer and serious birth defects
in substantial quantities

A Move To Banish Latex Products

June 28, 2000

BOSTON (Boston Globe) — Josephine Pandolfo's illness began three years ago
as a slight rash on her hands, accompanied by chronic sinus headaches. But
it progressively got worse.

There were days when Pandolfo, a dentist, had difficulty breathing. Her
tongue would swell and she couldn't swallow. Then, she almost lost her
life after going into anaphylactic shock, an often fatal allergic
reaction, at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.

Finally, a test confirmed it: Pandolfo had developed a severe reaction to
latex, the rubber that is found in everyday products from surgical gloves
to baby's pacifiers.

Pandolfo is one of an estimated 18 million Americans, or 6 percent of the
population, who have latex sensitivity. The allergy has been responsible
for at least 21 deaths nationwide since 1989, 16 as the result of an
allergy to the latex in barium enema tips, a product no longer on the
market.

Now, in one of the strongest moves ever taken against latex in New
England, Rhode Island Attorney General Sheldon Whitehouse is calling on
hospitals, restaurants and manufacturers to discontinue using latex
gloves. He has written a resolution recommending that the state health
department regulate the use of latex in the health-care, food-service and
day-care industries.

"I think the big message is to get the word out," Whitehouse said.
"Particularly in the food-service and day-care industries, there is no
need for the (latex) products. It's a little difficult in health care
where the alternatives have to meet the standards of latex gloves."

Whitehouse has met with Allegiance Healthcare Corp., a latex gloves
manufacturer, to encourage them to provide more non-latex products and
bring awareness about the allergy to the general population.

"It's a particularly difficult allergy because it's so hard (for
consumers) to find out if latex is in a product or not," he said.
"Therefore, the risk of exposure to latex is very high. You don't really
know if you are going to be exposed."

The natural, milky substance, made from the rubber tree Hevea
brasiliensis, is used in 40,000 products, including items such as
balloons, diaphragms, condoms, and even mouse pads. Of these 40,000
latex-containing products, 300 are medical items.

Ironically, the federal government greatly increased the use of latex in
1987, when new regulations required all health care workers to wear latex
gloves to prevent the spread of the HIV-virus. That year, Americans used 2
billion pairs of gloves for medical purposes. Today, the number is
estimated to be around 20 billion.

Along with the increase in latex use, the number of people with an allergy
to the natural rubber has dramatically risen. The Food and Drug
Administration reports that between January 1985 and March 1999, there
were five deaths from allergies to latex gloves and 2,330 allergic
reactions.

"Unfortunately, we see a significant increase (of allergic reactions)
because of the increased use of latex gloves," said Jim Brady, a
disability lawyer. Brady has represented more nurses with latex allergies
than any other lawyer in New England. "I think, among many people, there's
no awareness of the problem with latex gloves."

An allergic response generally triggers a poison-ivy-like rash 12 to 36
hours after contact. While this is not life-threatening, some people may
have a reaction to the latex protein itself. A full-blown allergic
response often affects the skin and other organs, producing hives,
swelling, asthma and, in extreme cases, anaphylactic shock.

Pandolfo has had reactions to food prepared by people wearing latex
gloves, latex powder residue left on a table at the doctor's office, and,
once, to a water glass that was handled by a girl wearing the gloves.

"I don't go out to eat anywhere unless I've talked to the chef first,"
Pandolfo said. "This is life-threatening."

When she travels, she telephones the hotel ahead of time to talk with the
chef. She brings her own food on an airplane. And she only uses
self-adhesive stamps.

"I can't lick a stamp. I can't lick an envelope," she said. "(Latex) is
out there everywhere, and you can just die."

Among the people who are most at risk are health-care workers. The
American Academy of Family Physicians estimates that between 10 and 17
percent of these workers, which include nurses, dentists and surgeons, are
at risk for latex reactions. Children with spina bifida, a disabling birth
defect, people exposed to products containing latex, and those who have
hay fever or other allergies are also at risk.

While many hospitals have voluntarily changed to non-latex products, some
health care facilities have been reluctant to discontinue its use. A
majority of restaurants, day-care centers and beauty salons continue to
use latex, unaware that they are messing with a deadly allergen.

"For the places that haven't changed over, education hasn't gotten out to
the degree that it needs to," said Gail Lenehen, editor for the Journal of
the Emergency Nurses Association. Lenehen went into anaphlyactic shock
three years ago while working in the emergency room of Massachusetts
General Hospital in Boston. "They haven't reached the average nurse,
physician or hairstylist."

In 1997, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health
recommended that non-latex gloves be used for all activities that are not
likely to involve contact with infectious materials, such as food
preparation, routine housekeeping and maintenance. That same year, the
Food and Drug Administration established rules for labeling all medical
devices that contain latex.

But still, said Whitehouse, who has been working on this campaign since
January 1999, progress is slow. While some Rhode Island restaurants have
volunteered to change to non-latex on their own, many are still using the
allergenic material.

While there are a number of non-latex products available, including gloves
made of vinyl or polyvinyl chloride, nitrile or other synthetics, many
hospitals are slow to change because of the additional cost.

"It's money," Brady said. "The vinyl gloves are not as cheap as latex
gloves. The latex gloves are very accessible, very easy."

Brady said, however, that the health-care industry is under the false
impression that latex gloves are always less expensive. He said a growing
number of non-latex gloves are just as good and priced competitively with
latex.

"The pro-active actions that need to be taken, which are to eliminate
latex gloves, are very doable, but there is tremendous reluctance at the
facilities," said Evelyn Bain, associate director of occupational safety
and health for the Massachusetts Nurses Association. "It doesn't make
sense not to do it."

Copyright 2000 The Boston Globe. All rights reserved.

*  Talc

This is found in baby powders, face powders, body powders as well as some
contraceptives such as condoms. 

Talc is a known carcinogen and is a major cause of ovarian cancer when
used in the genital area.  It can be harmful if inhaled as it can lodge in
the lungs, causing respiratory disorders.

, if any, toluene or benzene exposure results from condom use, and how much
exposure would be a cause for concern!

So . but it might be or could be a cause of concern! right, because there
is no study saying tht it is, then assumption is that it no threat of
concern about it! what if it is!

htere are these well know toxic substance in these condooms! they know the
effect of these condooms! so it could be true that these substance can
cause "disease".

we would only know if there is a good study done! right! but now to think
its no threat of concern, is a bite silly! it even could be so!

gr,
Tom

LOL. An old Australian news report.

To the contrary.

But if you want to screw without a condom or convince people to screw
without a condom so you can make bareback porn, that's your choice.

If you die of AIDS....well, we all die of something.

        George M. Carter

Toluene

· endocrine disruptor, potential carcinogen
· may cause birth defects
· irritates respiratory tract
· may cause liver damage

Causes of Low Sperm Count

Environmental Assaults

Over exposure to environmental assaults (toxins, chemicals, infections)
can reduce sperm count either by direct effects on testicular function or
on the hormone systems, although the extent of the effect and specific
environmental assaults involved are often controversial.

Some chemicals that affect sperm production men are : Oxygen-Free
Radicals, Estrogen emulation pesticidal chemicals (DDT, aldrin, dieldrin,
PCPs, dioxins, and furans ), plastic softening chemicals like Phthalates,
hydrocarbons (ethylbenzene, benzene, toluene, and xylene)

Rubber is made elastic by a process called vulcanization, and many of the
chemicals used in the process are strong sensitizers or allergens.

These include isopropyl n-phenylenediamine, mercaptobenzothiazole and
carba compounds. Affected individuals usually have a hand dermatitis from
rubber gloves, or a foot dermatitis from shoes.

Other sources of exposure include condoms, diaphragms and elastic in under
garments including bra straps and underwear.

Michael S. King, MD, FAAAAI, Diplomate of the American Board of Allergy
and Immunology

http://www.ctallergy.com/Allergic%20Contact%20Dermatitis.htm

Aside from being annoying, isn't it insane to deny that the link between
condoms and cancer has been proven over and over and over again?

I won't need to repost if YOU stop ignoring the facts, Carter.