Treatment Action Campaign

SAMMCguidelinesCh0May2010v1 1_hs.pdf

SAMMCguidelinesCh1MCandHIVMay2010v1_hs.pdf

SAMMCguidelinesCh2MCandSRHMay2010v1_hs.pdf

SAMMCguidelinesCh3CounsellingMay2010v1_hs.pdf

Male medical circumcision reduces the risk of heterosexual men contracting HIV. It is highly likely that the widespread introduction and encouragement of voluntary male medical circumcision (VMMC) in countries with generalised heterosexual epidemics will reduce HIV incidence substantially. There is also evidence that VMMC reduces the risk of men contracting HPV, the virus that causes cervical cancer. Therefore, there is likely a lower risk of circumcised men passing on HPV to their female partners.

Yet a number of commentators have raised objections to the introduction of VMMC.

An article by Halperin et al. titled Male circumcision is an efficacious, lasting and cost-effective strategy for combating HIV in high-prevalence AIDS epidemics has been published in Future HIV Therapy (September 2008, Vol. 2, No. 5, Pages 399-405, doi:10.2217/17469600.2.5.399). It answers the objections raised to VMMC. Its authors include many distinguished scientists, clinicians and activists, including members of the TAC.

 Male circumcision and HIV prevention : A TAC Briefing 1

The World Health Organisation has recommended that male medical circumcision is an important part of H