Counterfeit condom alert issued

Condoms protect against disease

Thousands of counterfeit condoms may have made their way on to the UK market.

The Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency issued an alert after counterfeit batches were discovered in the Republic of Ireland.

The products are disguised in Durex packaging, but do not meet interational quality standards, and may not protect against pregnancy or diseases.

The fakes are labelled as either Durex Extra Safe, or Durex Fetherlite.

The Durex Extra Safe fakes come in packs of 12 and have the batch number 20602503.

The Durex Fetherlite fakes come in a similar size pack, and have the batch number VR3073C. However, poor printing quality on the boxes means the letter C may appear as an E.

In both cases, the batch numbers are also shared by legitimate Durex products, but these have now been recalled as a precaution.

People who have recently bought either type of condom are advised to check the bottom of the packaging.

And anybody who thinks they may have used the fake products is being advised to consult their doctor.

A spokesperson for the HIV charity Terrence Higgins Trust said: "Properly used, condoms are always the best protection against HIV and many other sexually transmitted infections.

"If a condom has broken during sex, getting health advice swiftly can still prevent pregnancy or transmission of HIV."