When Is There Enough Evidence to Revise the American Academy of Pediatrics Policy on Circumcision?
PEDIATRICS (May 2007); 119:1006-7. [Full text] [PDF] There have been 3 recent studies in Africa, involving >10000 men, that have demonstrated a marked protective effect of male circumcision with respect to the acquisition of HIV infection. The protective effect was 60% in each of the 3 trials. Reviews of the literature have concluded that there is substantial evidence to support the conclusion that circumcision significantly reduces the rate of HIV infection, and one review concluded that “male circumcision is the most compelling evidence-based preventive strategy to emerge since the results of mother-to-child transmission clinical trials.” Circumcision also protects against certain other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Authors of the first systematic review and meta-analysis of the association of male circumcision with ulcerative STDs (syphilis, cancroid, and genital herpes) concluded that circumcised men are at lower risk of acquiring cancroid and syphilis then uncircumcised me
