LifeStyles Condoms Protecting New York City

RED BANK, N.J., May 3 /PRNewswire/ -- When Scott Kellerman, recently appointed by New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg as Assistant Commissioner for the Bureau of HIV/AIDS Services (NYC Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene) said recently in the New York Post, "We need to cover this city in latex" ... it was no surprise that Ansell Healthcare was able and willing to meet the challenge.

Building off an almost 30 year history in the Public Health Sector to help promote safer sex, Ansell Healthcare was well positioned to assist Scott Kellerman and the city of New York in their renewed efforts to educate the citizens on the importance of protection against sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS.

Ansell Healthcare has today donated 100,000 LifeStyles® condoms and these will soon be made available to the public in participating shops, restaurants and bars in New York City as the corner stone of the "I Know" campaign to renew awareness of the HIV/AIDS battle amongst the city's youth. This is the largest donation of condoms to the city of New York for a HIV prevention campaign.

"If you have sex, using a condom is the most effective way to stop transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases," says DOHMH Assistant Commissioner Scott Kellerman, MD, MPH. "It's critically important to get back to the basics: Use a condom during sexual intercourse, and know your status - get tested for HIV. Taking these simple steps can help us win the war on HIV and AIDS."

Says Paula Etchison, Vice President of Marketing and Business Development, Ansell Healthcare, "We want people to feel good but still be responsible. This initiative is a natural fit when you consider that we were the first condom company to establish a division to meet the needs of the public health sector."

LifeStyles® currently has 70% of the U.S. Public Sector healthcare market. In February 2005, Ansell Healthcare was also awarded a contract to provide LifeStyles® condoms to approved New York City agencies for the next 3 years.

"Our relationship with the Public Health Sector is invaluable as we learn from the feed back we receive from health care providers. We're proud of that partnership and our efforts were rewarded when Consumer Reports (February 2005) rated LifeStyles® condoms very highly," Ms. Etchison said.

In 2005, Ansell Healthcare celebrates its 100 year anniversary as a Global leader in healthcare barrier protection products with operations in the Americas, Europe and Asia. The LifeStyles branded condom is well recognized and sold in 31 countries. Information on LifeStyles® condoms can be found at http://www.condomdepot.com.