The Healthland blog over at Time magazine is wondering, today, if a new “Viagra condom” will encourage safer sex. No, there is no actual Viagra™ or generic equivalent in these new wonder condoms—they are lined with a vasodilating gel, which increases blood flow to the penis and helps maintain erection. But unlike the blue pill, the CSD500 (catchy name, huh?) is not designed for men who have erectile dysfunction; rather, it's meant for men who have trouble keeping erections specifically while using a condom.

Editor's Note, May 24, 2011: See follow-up article on why this may not work so well.

A financial analyst told The Wall Street Journal that a “modest” estimate is that the new product could capture 3 percent to 5 percent of the global branded condom market, while priced 50 percent above standard condoms.

The trick with these new condoms is that the inventor has apparently come up with a way to seal off the inside to keep the internal gel from getting on a user’s partner. This apparently also means that the condoms are much less prone to breaking.

The new condoms could be on shelves by the end of the year.