I have no interest in the religious or cultural significance of male circumcision. I was an unbiased observer of the recent hullabaloo over the issue1 in the medical blogosphere.
This post is related to something that I read in yesterday’s Physician’s First Watch bulletin.
Circumcision Greatly Reduces Risk for HIV Infection
Adult male circumcision cut the risk for HIV transmission in half in an interim analysis of two randomized, controlled studies, according to the NIH, which sponsored the research.
NIAID Director Dr. Anthony S. Fauci says, “While the initial benefit will be fewer HIV infections in men, ultimately adult male circumcision could lead to fewer infections in women in those areas of the world where HIV is spread primarily through heterosexual intercourse.”
Links: NIH press release (Free); New York Times story (One-time registration required); Journal Watch Women’s Health summary of 2002 NEJM study of male circumcision and HPV infection (Free).
My interest in this is related to the HIV / AIDS scenario in India.
Given our high prevalence of HIV / AIDS, the increasing HIV infection rates and the fact that unsafe sexual intercourse is the major cause for this, I wonder if the Indian Government should actively spread the message about and encourage the practice of circumcision.
Technorati Tags: medicine, HIV, AIDS, circumcision
Footnotes:
1. Read this post by Moof for a brief summary of the issue and take a look at the ongoing poll on her sidebar. At the time of this writing, 52% of the 161 people who voted are in favour of circumcision. I am one of the few people (5%) who voted that we are completely indifferent.
Vijay, that’s a thought.
If there’s even a chance that it might help control the spread of infection, and it can be done with an anesthetic, then I think that it should be strongly considered …
I’ve heard all of the arguments, but all three of my boys were circumcised, and none of them are upset that it was done.
Hi Vijay- Sorry I was unable to respond to your tag back in November I think. Well, not really sorry. And here I get to comment about circumcism, Yikes. I have been hearing all this talk about the “protection” for so long I can hardly believe we are now suggesting it be done as a form of protection. I guess I should read the articles.