You may not realise it, but millions of fake condoms are produced each year in China, putting millions of people at risk of getting pregnant/catching an STI due to the fact that they’re not actual brands.
This is something that people who bought condoms from Groupon Australia found out recently, when counterfeit Durex condoms sold through the online voucher website were recently recalled due to the fact that they’ve got holes in them.
The fake condoms bought between 12 March and 16 April are said to be faulty, so could obviously cause both pregnancy or an STI transmission – which is totally terrifying for anyone who decided to get their contraception alongside their three-day Spa Break In Marrakesh or whatever else you go on Groupon for.
To compensate terrified buyers, Groupon Australia has identified those who may be at risk, and are offering a full refund.
‘Customers are our utmost priority at Groupon and we take their health and safety very seriously,’ a spokesperson for Groupon Australia told Mashable. ‘All customers who purchased the counterfeit products have been proactively contacted by Groupon notifying them of the recall and have been advised to discontinue use immediately, dispose or return the goods, and seek professional medical advice if they have concerns about their health. A full refund has been processed to all customers.’
Yeah OK, but we say they should pay for any medical bills, check-ups or at least compensate people for the fact that they allowed counterfeit birth control to circulate on their site.
The merchant, Citrus Beat, is under investigation though, which is good, and the Therapeutic Goods Association have stated that counterfeit condoms are a serious problem – especially in China, which produces millions of fakes. Raids in 2013 in the Fujian province found more than 2 million condoms mis-labelled as either Durex or other popular condom brands.
So get your condoms from your doctor, or a reputable pharmacy, guys. If you go to a GUM clinic they’re free! And they won’t have holes in them!
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.