NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Press contacts:
April 6, 2007
Statement on Adult Male Circumcision and HIV Prevention
Recent media reports on adult male circumcision and HIV prevention have centered on efforts to promote circumcision among men at high risk of AIDS in New York City, including gay men and other men who have sex with men. These efforts come on the heels of findings that adult male circumcision might significantly lower—but not eliminate—a man’s risk of acquiring HIV during vaginal sex.
In December 2006, the National Institutes of Health announced the findings from three research studies demonstrating that adult male circumcision reduced men’s risk of acquiring HIV through vaginal intercourse. Gay Men's Health Crisis recognizes the importance of these findings, which make adult male circumcision the first biomedical HIV prevention tool since the female condom was introduced 13 years ago. However, GMHC would also like to highlight the gaps in knowledge presented by these findings. We will be closely following further research to determine what long-term impact these findings will have. In order to be effective, any recommendations associated with these findings will need to balance scientific research with cultural considerations.
The Trials:
The recent circumcision trials were conducted in countries in sub-Saharan Africa with low rates of circumcision, very high HIV prevalence and significantly higher rates of female-to-male HIV transmission rates than in the United States. In the US, the highest rates of sexual transmission are in two categories: among men who have sex with men, and among women infected by heterosexual contact with men. The adult males participating in the trials were circumcised by trained professional health care workers, and received extensive counseling and latex condoms. Previously, three other clinical trials demonstrated similar findings.
What these findings mean:
The data shows that male circumcision may reduce the risk of adult males to contract HIV through vaginal sex. Key areas not addressed by these findings:
· The effect of circumcision on HIV transmission for gay men and other men who have sex with men is unknown.
· The effect of circumcision for anal intercourse is unknown.
· It is unknown whether circumcision in HIV-positive men protects their male or female sexual partners.
It is important to state categorically that circumcision does not eliminate the risk of acquiring HIV. In order to be well protected against acquiring and transmitting HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases all sexually active men, whether or not they are circumcised, should engage in practices that lessen risk, including using latex or polyurethane condoms with water-based lubricants. Condoms continue to present the most effective, inexpensive, non-invasive and readily available method for preventing HIV transmission among sexually active individuals.
We are eager to work with public health officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene to determine how the findings of these and other scientific-based HIV prevention studies can be most useful to members of our communities.
Additional information about circumcision is available at:
http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/factsheets/circumcision.htm
http://www.aidsvaccineclearinghouse.org/MC/index.html
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Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) is a not-for-profit, volunteer-supported and community-based organization committed to national leadership in the fight against AIDS. Our mission is to reduce the spread of HIV disease, help people with HIV maintain and improve their health and independence, and keep the prevention, treatment and cure of HIV an urgent national and local priority. In fulfilling this mission, we will remain true to our heritage by fighting homophobia and affirming the individual dignity of all gay men and lesbians. We provide services and programs to over 15,000 men, women and families that are living with or affected by HIV/AIDS in New York City. For more information, please visit www.gmhc.org
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