No alternative is going to be free (condoms certainly are not, particularly female condoms), nor do they need to be based on a pill. The reproductive technologies introduced in the last decade have been pregnancy based, with most of them working on hormonal levels and not at all addressing STI prevent — so meanwhile, we’re still stuck with the condom. It leads to questioning where the priority of reproductive research lies… in offering more doctor-controlled birth control choices, or in finding low-cost, over-the-counter options that prevent STIs? I think that we need more options that address that chasm of need: protection during sexual activity that prevents the spread of STIs that is an alternative to the condom. Sure, condoms are cheap and have good rates of protection when used correctly — but it doesn’t mean it’s the only answer. Acting like the condom is enough to curtail a pandemic isn’t a rational or feasible solution. I think that pushing research and development in STI prevention tools is important for those reasons.