Circumcising the Problem

According to Donald G. Mcneil Jr. of the New York Times in his article "Circumcisions Anit-AIDS Effect Found Greater Than First Thought", circumcision is proving to cut the risk of men contracting AIDS by 50 or even 65 percent during sexual intercourse. Two months ago, two clinical trials in Africa were stopped because the results proved to be so successful that those who were circumcised were less at risk then those who were not. The tests proved that circumcision greatly protected against the contraction of the virus. The tests were stopped because it would have been "unethical" to go on with treatement for the other people in the tests who were not circumcised because the fact of the matter was that circumcision was actually helping and they too deserved that same chance of protection.

The two largest funders for fightings AIDS has been quoted as saying that they are looking into paying for circumciscion for people in high risk countries due to its efffectiveness.

In the final data from the trials it is suggested that the circumcisions can reduce risk by as much as 65 percent for men. Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, director of the National Institue of Alergy and Infectious Diseases, who also paid for the trials, plans on contiuing to say officially that circumcision cuts the risk by 50 percent and is very pleased with the 65 percentage but believes that in reality the 50 percent is more likely.

This is a great break through for the fight agaisnt AIDS but it has already caused some conflict among men who are against circumcision for whatever personal reasons. Personally i beleive that this is a great step forward and a 50 percent risk reduction can be seen as such a helpful prevention that most uncircumcised men in high risk countries should seek or be aided in obtaining circumcision.