News

Laura MacDonald
(This page does not contain medical advice)

Another study shows gay men get no protection from circumcision

Friday 12th March 2010
A study of 4,889 men published in the journal AIDS has shown that circumcised gay men are not less likely to become infected with HIV. Headlined in the press as "Circumcision may not cut HIV spread among gay men", the study in fact showed circumcised gay men had a higher rate of HIV infection than gay men who were intact. After controlling for sexual behaviours and demographic factors there was no difference between the two groups.

This result mirrors a UK study of 12,433 gay men published in 2001 by Sigma Research, from which the initial results indicated a significantly higher risk of HIV among circumcised gay men. After controlling for factors likely to influence circumcision status - such as age and living in London - the authors found no association between circumcision status and HIV.

In a letter to the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections in 2008 the authors of the Sigma Research study raised concerns that attempts were still being made to research an area with so little value - at the expense of "much more promising interventions."

Plus ça change....