Circumcision Does Little to Prevent HIV Infection Among Gay Men (Part 2)

In a co-authored editorial in the J.A.M.A., Dr. Sten Vermund, director of the Institute for Global Health at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine stated, “For every insertive man who is protected, there might be a receptive man who isn't infected, for the same reason why women get protected. In other words, from a herd-immunity phenomenon.”

Theoretically, circumcision should offer protection for all men who practice insertive sex, including both heterosexual men and homosexual men. The researchers found that prior to the 1996 arrival of antiviral drugs (ARVs), many gay men avoided risky sex practices suggesting that circumcision may have provided protection.

With the availability of the powerful ARVs drugs came the widespread belief that ARVs could prevent HIV transmission. This led to a return of risky sexual behavior that caused outbreaks of sexually transmitted infections and increased rates of HIV. The study authors believe this may have weakened the comparative effectiveness of male circumcision.

According to the Centers For Disease Control, almost half of the 1.1 million people infected with HIV are men who have sex with men.