New study finds that America's mass circumcision campaign in Africa has had no effect in reducing HIV

[Cave Savage]

Age-incidence and prevalence of HIV among intact and circumcised men: an analysis of PHIA surveys in Southern Africa | Journal of Biosocial Science | Cambridge Core

Age-incidence and prevalence of HIV among intact and circumcised men: an analysis of PHIA surveys in Southern Africa

www.cambridge.org

I was always skeptical about whether this campaign would actually work. I speculate that either the trials that promoted this in the first place were either flawed, or the results could not be replicated in a real world scenario. In my opinion, it's now obvious that this whole thing has been highly unethical and should have never been allowed to happen.

 

[88m3]

unfortunate


were there any other benefits?

 

[High Art]

Unsurprising. A lot of people in certain positions have little idea on how to interact with Africa as a whole.

 

[Rice N Beans]

I guess the line of thinking was no foreskin, no fluid retained into the folds during intercourse, reduced chance of infection as a byproduct.

But I'd have guessed circumcision would not make a tangible change if I didn't read this. It's not like balanitis.

 

[NZA]

to be honest, it seemed dumb then and dumb now

 

[levitate]

Because it’s stupid, archaic, and barbaric

 

[DEAD7]

Just step aside America, and let China have a go at it

 

[Cave Savage]

It's worth noting that at least one of the men who started this campaign (Bertran Auvert) has a circumcision fetish. I believe that this whole thing was a sick combination of cultural imperialism and fetishism, rather than a genuine desire to end HIV in Africa. Some researchers have compared it to a Tuskegee Experiment.

A new Tuskegee? Unethical human experimentation and Western neocolonialism in the mass circumcision of African men - PubMed

Campaigns to circumcise millions of boys and men to reduce HIV transmission are being conducted throughout eastern and southern Africa, recommended by the World Health Organization and implemented by the United States government and Western NGOs. In the United States, proposals to...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov