Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
NYC-Branded Condoms Are a Big Apple First
By
Jen Chung
Published Feb 15, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Chung
Published Feb 15, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Yesterday, the Department of Health handed out the new NYC Condom all over town (video, too), excitedly pointing out that NYC is the first city to brand its own condom! Woo! Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden explained the move towards a branded condom, "Branding condoms is a great way to encourage their use. You know it's good quality, and you know it's a name you can trust." Frieden was also punny, saying, "We are unveiling, unfurling, unrolling, if you will, rolling out the New York City condom."
A 24 year old who saw volunteers giving out condoms at the Second Avenue subway station said, "Everyone from 60-year-old women down to teenagers are loving them." Nineteen year old Johnnie Brown told the Post, "I'm going to be using them profusely."
Not everyone is happy with the Health Department's efforts: Catholic League president Bill Donohue said, "What's next? The city's own brand of clean syringes? Every illiterate in America already knows about the wonders of condoms. At a time when police and firemen are underpaid, is this really the best use of city money?" Frieden's response: "For people who say, 'Oh, this is not a good use of taxpayer dollars,' let me assure you that this will save the city substantial resources in preventing infections ... and unwanted pregnancies."
You can find out where to pick up your own free NYC Condom at, yes, a NYC Condom website: NYCCondom.org.
Posters from the NYC Condom campaign
Tagged
america
Bill Donohue
Catholic League
city
health
Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden
health department
money
new york
new york city
News: NYC
nyc
people
police
Second Avenue
subway
the city
thomas frieden
video
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
A reliably Republican part of NJ, until ICE came to town
The Trump administration’s plan to convert a warehouse in Roxbury into an ICE detention center has upended local politics ahead of the midterm elections.
By
Mike Hayes
Published Oct 20, 2026 at 6:30 a.m. ET
NYC school integration debate exposes tensions between Black parents and Mamdani
Some see a blind spot when it comes to the representation of Black New Yorkers in Mamdani's administration and agenda.
By
Elizabeth Kim
News
NYC school integration debate exposes tensions between Black parents and Mamdani
Some see a blind spot when it comes to the representation of Black New Yorkers in Mamdani's administration and agenda.
By
Elizabeth Kim
Queens man charged with hate crime at Jewish-owned bagel shop displaying Israeli flags
By
Giulia Heyward
MTA train yards are in such bad shape plants are growing out of the roof, watchdog says
By
Stephen Nessen
High-ranking NYC officials to testify in ex-buildings boss Eric Ulrich's corruption trial
By
David Brand
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .