Female Health Company Renews Pledge to Work With National Governments, Aid Agencies to Increase Access to the Female Condom CHICAGO, Aug. 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- As the 16th International AIDS Conference begins in Toronto, the Female Health Company (OTC:FHCO) (BULLETIN BOARD: FHCO) received notice from the World Health Organization (WHO) that after a stringent technical review process regarding design, product characteristics, quality control and manufacturing technology, the Female Condom 2 is in principle being manufactured to at least the same standard as the polyurethane female condom FC1. In addition, the design and physical characteristics of FC2, supported by the clinical data, suggest that the two devices are functionally equivalent, when used correctly. Based on this assessment WHO has stated that FC2 product is acceptable for bulk procurement by UN Agencies subject to the standard quality assurance measures being applied prior to procurement. The completion of WHO's review coincides with the 16th International AIDS Conference in Toronto whose theme is the feminization of AIDS and which focuses on strengthening women's rights, curbing gender discrimination and violence against women, and empowering women to use prevention methods and negotiate safer sex with their husbands and partners. "FHC appreciates the strong leadership that WHO, UNAIDS, UNFPA and other UN agencies have taken to help countries develop national distribution plans and create health education programs that teach women how to use the female condom and talk about it with their husbands and partners," said Mary Ann Leeper, a spokesperson for the Female Health Company. "As the only available woman-initiated form of prevention against HIV, the female condom can provide millions of women with an essential tool to negotiate safer sex. The Female Health Company is committed to working with these agencies, national governments, and international NGOs to create cost-efficient bulk buying partnerships that will reduce the cost of the female condom significantly increasing the possibility of broader access to women." Women comprise about half of all people living with HIV worldwide. In sub- Saharan Africa -- where the impact of the global HIV/AIDS pandemic is most intense -- 74% of young people living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa are women. The number of women with HIV is growing in part because women are twice as likely as men to contract HIV from an infected partner during unprotected heterosexual intercourse. In addition, women's biological susceptibility to HIV is compounded by gender inequality, which limits the power of women to negotiate safer sex with husbands and partners. "We need to use the tools that are available to women to prevent further feminization of the HIV pandemic, and the female condom is one such tool in the fight to save lives," said Dr. Musimbi Kanyoro, General Secretary of the World YWCA, an organization that supports programs for 25 million women and girls in 122 countries. "The time has come to be brave and bold. For millions of women, the female condom alone does not protect them in the context of violence and discrimination, but it does give them something to negotiate in relationships." Over the past year, positive momentum to integrate the female condom into national HIV prevention programs has occurred on many fronts. In September 2005, more than 100 public health experts from 15 countries met in Baltimore, Maryland to produce a global action plan for the female condom and develop a compelling case study on the female condom's proven value as a tool for HIV prevention that UNFPA is now using in its outreach to national health ministries and other key stakeholders. South Africa, India and other countries have unilaterally expanded their purchase of female condoms. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has also increased its procurement on behalf of prevention programs in countries heavily impacted by HIV/AIDS. In addition, a global network of reproductive health rights advocates has recently launched the Prevention Now! Campaign an international campaign dedicated to expanding women's access to the female condom through outreach to governments and digital advocacy on the internet via a Web site -- http://www.preventionnow.net/ . "There is growing recognition around the world that women need their own tools in the fight against AIDS," Leeper said. "The Female Health Company will work tirelessly to make the female condom accessible and affordable to all women." The Female Health Company, based in Chicago, owns certain worldwide rights to FC Female Condom(TM) including patents which have been issued in the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, The People's Republic of China, Canada, New Zealand, South Korea and Australia. FC Female Condom(TM) is the only available product controlled by a woman that protects against sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS, and unintended pregnancy. "Safe Harbor" statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Action of 1995: The statements in this release which are not historical fact are forward-looking statements based upon the Company's current plan and strategies, and reflect the Company's current assessment of the risks and uncertainties related to its business, including such things as product demand and market acceptance; the economic and business environment and the impact of government pressures; currency risks; capacity; efficiency and supply constraints; and other risks detailed in the Company's press releases, shareholder communication and Securities and Exchange Commission filings. Actual events affecting the Company and the impact of such events on the Company's operations may vary from those currently anticipated. For more information about the Female Health Company, dial toll-free via fax, 1-800-PRO-INFO and enter company code "FHCO". Also, visit the Company's web site at http://www.femalehealth.com/ and http://www.femalecondom.org/ . If you would like to be added to an e-mail alert list, please send an e-mail to . DATASOURCE: The Female Health Company CONTACT: Investors, William R. Gargiulo, Jr., +1-231-526-1244, or Donna Felch, +1-312-595-9742, or Business-Product, Karen King, +1-312-595-9123, all of Female Health Company Web site: http://www.preventionnow.net/ http://www.femalecondom.org/ http://www.femalehealth.com/

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