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Circumcision does not lower risk of HIV infection
HAART has increased rates of HIV infection
A new study reveals 'insufficient evidence' that circumcision protects against HIV
"Pooled analyses of available observational studies of MSM [men who have sex with men] revealed insufficient evidence that male circumcision protects against HIV infection or other STIs"
Circumcised men who have sex with men do not have significantly lower rates of HIV infection, a study has found.
15 studies containing data on more than 53,000 gay men were analysed by the US Centres for Disease Control. The research did find that there were fewer HIV+ men in the circumcised group, although the number was not deemed to be significant as a statistic.
However, studies carried out before the introduction of HAART, the antiretroviral therapy, did highlight a relationship between circumcision and lower rates of HIV infection.
The lack of a relationship in recent research has been attributed to an increase in sexual risk behaviour since the advent of the treatment and the common belief that HAART limits HIV transmissibility. This has raised rates of HIV infection.
The study said:
"Pooled analyses of available observational studies of MSM [men who have sex with men] revealed insufficient evidence that male circumcision protects against HIV infection or other STIs."
"The majority of HIV infections in men who have sex with men are as a result of receptive anal intercourse and circumcision would make no difference in these cases," said Will Nutland, head of health protection at Terrence Higgins Trust.
"Rather than encouraging gay men to be circumcised, investment in prevention in the UK should focus on targeted education programmes, condom provision and easy access to testing."
