SEATTLE — The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is offering a $100,000 grant to anyone who can come up with an improved "next generation" condom.
"We are looking for a design which significantly preserves or enhances pleasure, in order to improve uptake and regular use," the foundation said.
Two foundation officers said that while it may seem obvious, the success of condoms as a public health tool hinges on it being used consistently and correctly.
Researchers have found that women, particularly those in the sex trade, often face difficulties negotiating condom use, while most men prefer sex without a condom, the officers said.