1. ABC, not circumcision
    Mark Lyndon Mark Lyndon United Kingdom says:
    December 8, 2012 at 11:02 AM

    From a USAID report:
    "There appears no clear pattern of association between male circumcision and HIV prevalence—in 8 of 18 countries with data, HIV prevalence is lower among circumcised men, while in the remaining 10 countries it is higher."
    http://www.measuredhs.com/pubs/pdf/CR22/CR22.pdf

    It seems highly unrealistic to expect that there will be no risk compensation.  The South African National Communication Survey on HIV/AIDS, 2009 found that 15% of adults across age groups "believe that circumcised men do not need to use condoms".
    http://www.info.gov.za/issues/hiv/survey_2009.htm

    It is unclear if circumcised men are more likely to infect women.  The only ever randomized controlled trial into male-to-female transmission showed a 54% higher rate in the group where the men had been circumcised:
    www.thelancet.com/.../abstract

    ABC (Abstinence, Being faithful, and especially Condoms) is the way forward.  Promoting genital surgery seems likely to cost African lives rather than save them.

    Reply
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