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Two Canadian Universities Recalled Condoms

Two Canadian Universities Recalled Condoms Provided to Students After Stapling a Note About Consent on Them.

There were many flaws in a plan to encourage safe sex among university students in Fredericton. The University of New Brunswick and St. Thomas University representatives have instructed students to discard free condoms distributed during a student welcome event. But did you know about the two Canadian universities that had to recall the condoms they gave out?

Condoms given to students by two Canadian universities to encourage safe sex were recalled because they had staple holes from when a consent note was attached.

What Happened to the Condoms They Gave Out?

The event was held in the Student Union building for students from St. Thomas University (STU) and The University of Brunswick (UNB). Unaware of it, the Sexual Assault Center’s booth was dispensing condoms with staple holes in them. The condoms were intended to be packaged with a warning to seek permission before engaging in sexual activity, according to the Fredericton Sexual Assault Crisis Centre. STU Communications officer Jeffrey Carleton learned of the incident. Soon after, he started broadcasting alerts.

I was told that less than a hundred were distributed

Jeffrey Carleton, STU Communications Officer

The Crisis Center has admitted fault for the error. The center informed students at both universities to throw away the defective condoms via email. However, according to Maggie Crain of the center, the issue arose when that message was affixed to the condom’s packaging.

The condoms had been packaged in a matchbook type paper holder as part of the campaign Consent is Sexy. The edges of the condom wrapper were stapled to the paper holder

Lorraine Whalley, Executive Director of the Fredericton Sexual Assault Crisis Centre

Although nobody has yet complained, some students are still not aware of the error. Third-year STU student Emma Lackey observed the condom distribution from the booth beside her, but she was unaware until Friday.

Mistakenly, some of the staples pierced the air pocket that holds the condom, So you can’t consider it sterile, and over time, the air would break down the elasticity of the condom and make it more apt to break in the future.

Maggie Crain, Center Representative

(Source: CBC Canada

Preventing and Correcting Errors

There were about 80 of the compromised packages. The remaining condoms, according to Crain, were disposed of after two students called attention to the broken packages.

Additionally, a message has been sent out via student email accounts. According to Crain, the sexual crisis center will package an additional 2,000 condoms with the advice to get permission before using them on students. Now, tape will be used to secure those messages.

According to Jen Connolly of UNB’s Student Union Information Center, steps were taken to inform students.

It’s been posted on Facebook, and numerous places. The poster commented, like ‘good to know’ – and it is good to know!

Jen Connolly of UNB’s Student Union Information Centre

Students are learning that condoms are very effective at preventing unintended pregnancy if there is one message that is getting across to them. When asked how effective condoms are at preventing unplanned pregnancy, the vast majority responded correctly. (Source: CBC Canada

Image from CBC