Washington, D.C., will phase out its city-brand condoms and use brand names in its condom distribution program that aims to reduce the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, officials said Thursday during a meeting at the city's HIV/AIDS Administration, the Washington Post reports. The meeting -- which was attended by Gregg Pane, director of the city's Department of Health, and representatives from organizations working to fight HIV/AIDS in the district -- "ended with agreement" that the DC-brand condoms have "to go if the city is to successfully" promote condom use as an HIV prevention method, according to the Post (Levine, Washington Post, 9/14).

District health officials in February distributed 250,000 condoms as part of the health department's STI prevention campaign. The first batch of condoms went to several not-for-profit organizations and community health providers. The health department said it aimed to distribute one million condoms by the end of 2007. The condoms' purple and yellow package is printed in English and Spanish and carries the slogan, "We've got you covered. Coming together to stop HIV in D.C."

Concerns about the condoms arose almost immediately after the program began.…