Circumcision May Not Help Gay Men Prevent HIV

Though circumcision has been touted to reduce a man's risk of contracting HIV from heterosexual sex, it does not appear to be as effective for men who have sex with men.

Reuters reports that the risk of contracting HIV over an 18-month period was not significantly different between circumcised and uncircumcised gay and bisexual men, according t ino a new study of 1,800 American and Peruvian men. The men in the study were all considered to be at high risk to become infected with HIV because they already had herpes simplex type 2.

Three clinical trials in parts of Africa that occurred in 2005 and 2006 showed circumcision could reduce a man's risk of HIV through heterosexual sex by 60%. However, the report suggests that circumcision may not be an effective factor when it comes to preventing HIV from anal sex.

Currently, the World Health Organization recommends medically supervised circumcision as away to curb the risk of HIV transmission, but the American Academy of Pediatrics says circumcision in newborns is not necessary because of an insufficient amount of evidence suggesting health benefits. Officials at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, meanwhile, are evaluating proper recommendations for adult and infant circumcision in relation to stopping the spread of HIV.

The full results of the study were published in the journal AIDS.