IA Urges Policymakers to Halt Male Circumcision Rollout

Press release here. Excerpt:

'The human rights group Intact America (IA) is urging policy makers attending the 2012 International AIDS Society Conference in Washington, DC, 22-27 July, to halt the rollout of mass circumcision campaigns, calling the plan exorbitant, dangerous and unethical.

“The promotion of male circumcision sends the wrong message, creates a false sense of protection, and places women at greater risk for HIV. Men are lining up to be circumcised in the belief that they will no longer need to use condoms,” said Georganne Chapin, Executive Director of IA. “It’s extremely disturbing that scarce resources would be squandered on this prevention method when new research shows that the other proven prevention and treatment methods reduce transmission far more effectively. Medical resources need to be devoted to antiretroviral drugs, condom programs, education, and vaccines.”

Various studies show that results from three highly-publicized randomized clinical trials (RCTs) on HIV and circumcision are not applicable to the general population of sub-Saharan Africa or any other region. A 2008 study concluded that male circumcision is not associated with reduced HIV infection rates in the general sub-Saharan population. Another recent study analyzed circumcision rates and HIV incidence in South Africa, finding that:”Circumcision has no protective effect on HIV transmission.” “The RCTs are questionable,” says Chapin. “A 2008 study found that increased use of condom promotion is 95 times more cost-effective than male circumcision in preventing new HIV infections.” In Zimbabwe, a country where a mass circumcision campaign is currently underway, the recently released Health Demographic Survey (ZHDS 2010/2011) showed the HIV prevalence rate among circumcised males between the ages of 15 and 49 in Zimbabwe to be 14%, while for intact (non-circumcised) males it’s 12%.'