Lottery-ticket condoms launched in Switzerland

The campaign’s slogan is “join in and win”, to promote the idea that if people protect themselves during sexual intercourse using a condom, they are winners. Keystone

Some 400,000 condoms will be given to the Swiss public to spread the safer sex message. It’s part of a new government campaign to raise awareness for HIV prevention which was launched on Monday.  

The packaging of each of the 400,000 condoms will contain a lottery ticket with a competition code.

The campaign’s slogan is “join in and win”, to promote the idea that if people protect themselves during sexual intercourse using a condom, they are winners.

The campaign is funded by the Federal Office of Public Health and is also supported by organisations such as the AIDS foundation SwitzerlandExternal link and the Swiss Sexual HealthExternal link group.

+ A fifth of Swiss have slept with more than 20 people

+ Self-testing HIV kit goes on sale in Switzerland

Those participating in the competition can win over 3,500 prices sponsored by various companies nationwide.

The health office invests some CHF2 million ($2 million) every year into its “Love LifeExternal link” HIV prevention campaign.

Some of the government’s past campaigns have caused waves of controversy over explicit imagery and were deemed by conservative politicians to be too pornographic.

In recent years, the number of reported cases of sexually transmitted infections has grown in Switzerland. However, health officials say the growth may largely be down to better testing.

Last week, the first officially approved HIV home tests went on sale in Switzerland.