Backlash against NHS scheme offering free condoms to 13-year-olds

The NHS have been heavily criticised for offering a new scheme that offers free condoms, lubricant and sexual health advice to children as young as just 13.

The new ‘C-Card’ scheme is available to anyone aged between 13 and 24 years of age that meet certain criteria, and is being piloted by Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust in an effort to reduce the number of teenage pregnancies in addition to the number of youngsters catching sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as chlamydia and genital herpes.

Those in possession of a C-Card can discuss sexual health issues at clinics, pickup free condoms and advice on using them and even obtain some lubricant.

The card use is limited however, with those aged 16 or over, able to use it up to six occasions, and youngsters between the ages of 13 and 15 are only permitted to use the card three times before it has to be renewed, which should raise the flag regarding teens engaging in repeated under-age sex.

Anyone with the C-Card can go to 30 venues in West Sussex, including in Shoreham, Steyning, Hassocks, Hurstpierpoint and Midhurst. Should the venture prove to be a success, it will then be rolled out nationwide.

However, the Family Education Trust campaign group have been vocal in criticising the new program, with a spokeswoman saying: “The role of parents and carers is vital in protecting young people as they are privy to emotional wellbeing, friendship groups and unusual behaviours. They are therefore uniquely positioned to intervene and safeguard.

“The C-Card scheme denies parents the opportunity to advise and protect their children against the physical and emotional consequences of sex.”

There are also fears that because the scheme is offering condoms to teens as young as 13, it is partly encouraging them to ignore the legal age of consent (16) and break it.

Campaign For Real Education group chairman Chris McGovern said: “Sexual Health West Sussex is aiding, abetting and promoting the breaking of the law on consent and should be subjected to criminal prosecution.”

Furthermore, The Mirror’s Carole Malone was particularly scathing in her judgement of the C-Card scheme, blasting: “Am I the only one who’s incensed that NHS condoms for 13-year-olds are being advertised on a hip looking website called areyougettingit.com?…What does this say about our society and how it regards sex when a state run health service is throwing condoms at kids…”

Carole doesn’t stop there though in her anger at the scheme: “It says we’ve given up trying to teach kids how to deal with the legal, moral and psychological issues of underage sex because it’s too hard. Instead the State is just making the assumption that they’re all at it like rabbits so let’s just try to minimise the damage.”

Cutting teenage pregnancy in the UK is clearly an issue the government will have to consider curbing sooner rather than later, with Britain having the highest teenage pregnancy rate across Western Europe – the latest available statistics show that over 1,500 young people in West Sussex were diagnosed with chlamydia in a single year.

Online Pharmacy give away 1,000s of condoms in the run up to World AIDS Day

Shocking figures released ahead of World AIDS Day on 1 December reveal that roughly a fifth of those who have HIV in the UK, are unaware they are even carrying the virus.

Public Health England accumulated data from 2012 that shows 21,900 people out of 98,400 with HIV in the UK do not know they have it, with new cases reported in gay mean spiralling to an all-time record of 3,250 during last year.

Gay men account for the majority of people who have HIV, followed by black African men and women. Heterosexuals accounted for approximately 45% of new HIV cases in 2012; 2,880 in total.

Although it appears overall figures have decreased since 2011, the charity Terrence Higgins Trust have called for more action to be done to prevent the virus spreading, beginning with National HIV Testing Week, which runs from 22-29 November leading up to World AIDS Day.

World AIDS Day is an annual event dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection, and has been supported numerous times by Medical Specialists Pharmacy, and this year is no different.

This year Medical Specialists are giving away literally thousands of Skins condoms to all patients who obtain any sexual health products between 22 November and 2 December. Whether this be a clamelle chlamydia test kit, the antibiotic azithromycin for chlamydia and gonorrhoea treatment, or viagra, you will receive plenty of condoms…for free!

“Reducing undiagnosed HIV is now the single most important step we can take to halt the spread of infection in this country,” said the Terrence Higgins Trust’s acting chief executive, Paul Ward.

Mr Ward added: “Some communities are already making headway in this. Among gay men, testing rates are up, diagnoses are up, and as a result undiagnosed infection is coming down. Because of community-wide initiatives like National HIV Testing Week, hundreds more people with HIV now know their status, helping them access life-saving treatments and drastically reducing the chance of them passing the virus on. We’ve come so far, but we have to keep going. We know testing works and treatment works; all we need is the individual commitment and public funding to make it happen. If we can get this, we can turn the tide of the epidemic.”

Many people see ‘HIV’ as an abbreviated disease that they hope they never contract, whilst not actually understanding a lot about what it is, who is at risk, or the dangers of letting the virus go untreated.

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) attacks the immune system; our body’s natural defence mechanism against infections and disease. Health Protection Agency statistics from 2010 showed 95% of UK diagnoses stemmed from sexual contact, typically not wearing a condom during sexual activity is the cause. Sharing infected needles, syringes or other drug paraphernalia are also risk factors for HIV.

After infection, symptoms usually take between two to six weeks to arise and they include the common flu symptoms such as fever, sore throat, tiredness, muscular pain and also you could develop a body rash. If you believe you might be at risk then you should go for a test immediately and do not delay.
Delaying vital critical treatment can be fatal and somebody diagnosed at a late stage is actually nine times more likely to die within twelve months of receiving their diagnosis compared to somebody who gets tested and diagnosed at an early stage.

If HIV is left untreated or insufficiently managed, HIV then develops into AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome). At this stage the body is no longer able to fight off life-threatening infections due to the severe damage inflicted to the immune system.

National HIV testing week is a hugely important week and Medical Specialists hope that people shed the stigmas attached to HIV and AIDS, and to get tested immediately if they think they might be at risk. There is never any shame in seeking help for anything, especially when it comes to your health, and it could just save your life.

Condoms Cost Australian Taxpayers $50,000

Condom packets designed by artists in a safe sex project in Australia has cost taxpayers 50,000 dollars and been abandoned.

The project, known as the Free Condom Project - The Art of Being Smart, will distribute 75,000 condoms in stand-out designed packets for free in selected shops. Ratepayers Victoria president Jack Davis said the use of public monies for such a project was "ridiculous".

"It's a joke ... I consider this an absolute waste of taxpayers' money, which can be better used by helping the needy," the Daily Telegraph quoted Davis as saying.

Fitzroy retailer Abigail Crompton, who came up with the idea, said she hoped the "eclectic" packaging would make people think condoms were "cool", and start using them more to protect themselves against sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Crompton said the 50,000 dollar cost of the project included the design of the packets, the website, marketing, research development and the condoms.

Family Planning Victoria and the Victorian AIDS Council, which are state and federally funded, backed the project to boost awareness of the importance of using condoms, to curb the growing rates of STIs.

Victorian AIDS Council executive director Mike Kennedy defended the use of public money, explaining that it was "a very cheap and effective way" of getting the message of condom use across to Victorians.

FREE CONDOMS AT MEDICAL SPECIALISTS ONLINE PHARMACY TO SUPPORT WORLD AIDS DAY

 Medical Specialists Pharmacy has joined forces with Skins Condoms to promote safe sex and HIV awareness for World Aids Day.

  

As of June 2010 there are now over 90,000 people in the UK who are living with HIV which is move than ever, and in 2009 there were 6,630 new diagnoses of HIV, some which can be contributed to not wearing a condom whilst engaging in sexual activity. This year alone there were 26,262 diagnoses of Aids in the UK and 19,457 people diagnosed with HIV have died, and over half of all people living with HIV are aged between 30 and 44, which is in-line with the average age range of men being treatment for Erectile Dysfunction online.

This is why from 1st December; Medical Specialists will be giving out free condoms for one week to each patient who buys Erectile Dysfunction treatment on-line.

Condoms are usually used for both birth control but they also reducing the risk of disease. That's why some people think that other forms of birth control -- such as the IUD, diaphragm, cervical cap or pill -- will protect them against diseases, too. But that's not true. So if you use any other form of birth control, you still need a condom in addition to reduce the risk of getting sexually transmitted diseases.

A condom is especially important when an uninfected pregnant woman has sex, because it can also help protect her and her unborn child from a sexually transmitted disease. Hopefully Medical Specialists and Skins can help raise awareness that wearing a condom could stop the spread of HIV and could even save a life.

Further information is available at their website: www.medical-specialists.co.uk