Press Releases 1999
Press Releases 1998

August 1999 Press Releases

The Female Health Company Receives Order for 900,000 Additional Female Condoms for South Africa

CHICAGO, Aug. 2 -- The Female Health Company (OTC Bulletin Board: FHCO - news) today announced that it received an order from the Province of Mpumalanga in South Africa for 900,000 Female Condoms. Mpumalanga, one of
9 provinces in South Africa, has a population of approximately 3 million people.

According to the Mpumalanga Department of Health, the Female Condom was originally introduced in selected areas of the Province in 1997. Since then the Female Condom has been positively accepted by both female and male users.
``It is reported to feel natural by users, is non-restrictive, clean, enhances sexual stimulation and reduces painful intercourse. Initially considered a novelty, demand for the product has persisted and increased,'' said Dr. Kelvin Billinghurst, chief medical officer in the Provincial Health Department.

Dr. Billinghurst stated that the Female Condom increased women's ability to negotiate safer sex. He continued, ``by having this control, women can reduce the risk of acquiring sexually transmitted diseases, HIV or becoming pregnant.''

South Africa initially ordered 95,000 Female Condoms in 1996 to test the trial use and acceptability of the product in several provinces. Since that time, including the current order, a total of 3.8 million Female Condoms have been ordered for distribution in South Africa. Orders for approximately 2 million have been received in 1999. These orders are part of FHC's multi- year agreement with the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). The new order will be shipped to Mpumalanga in September.

``South Africa is at the forefront of strategic approaches to integrate the Female Condom into HIV/AIDS prevention strategies, and we are delighted to continue our collaboration with the national and provincial health departments,'' said Dr. Mary Ann Leeper, President of The Female Health Company. ``There are many exciting success stories coming from Africa and increasingly from around the world,'' said Leeper.

UNAIDS supported studies show that when the Female Condom is available as an option, there is a significant reduction in the incidence of sexually transmitted disease (STD) compared to when only the male condom is available. In addition, research highlights that the addition of the Female Condom into prevention programs is effective as it reduces the number of unprotected sexual acts and the incidence of STDs.

The Female Condom is the only product controlled by women that helps to prevent STDs, including HIV/AIDS and unintended pregnancy. The Female Condom is made of polyurethane, which is strong, unlikely to rip or tear during use and unlikely to cause allergic reactions. It is manufactured in a state of the art facility in London, England.

The Female Health Company, based in Chicago, owns certain worldwide rights to the Female Condom 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. The Female Condom 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 Act of 1995: The statements in this release which are not historical fact are forward-looking statements based upon the Company's current plans 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 governmental regulations, both in the United States and abroad; the effects of competitive products and pricing pressures; currency risks; capacity; efficiency and supply constraints; and other risks detailed in the Company's press releases, shareholder communications and Securities and Exchange Commission filings. Actual events effecting 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 toll-free via fax, dial 1-800-PRO-INFO and enter company code``FHCO.''