Article re: HIV and circ'ing

[owensmom]

This was at Babycenter...

http://www.babycenter.com/news/?id=515503#story

What a load of crap. I mean, if it is true, why run around circ'ing everyone? Wouldn't a CONDOM be cheaper? Not like circ'ing is going to prevent it. I'm sure a lot of the men that have died from AIDS here in the U.S. were circ'ed...

I dunno, just a really stupid article. Combine this with the Catholic Church saying condoms don't stop AIDS, and everything should be just dandy.

[Frankly Speaking]

That article is misleading on many levels and shamelessly promotes an agenda. Read between the lines . . . Such as reporting the results before the study is completed.



Frank

[owensmom]

I agree! I did a search for the same study, and found this article at Rainbow Network: http://www.rainbownetwork.com/conten...sp?newsid=3782 Which states these fun facts: "The Johns Hopkins team conducted its research on nearly 2,300 men in India. While circumcision is common in North America and elsewhere for religious and cultural reasons and to help prevent urinary tract infections and penile cancer, it is not practiced in the majority of the world. "
So now I'm like, should I write them a letter (RN)?

I posted this on the blog my dh and I share, this is dh's response:
Did you know that your risk of having appendicitis is 100% greater if you have an appendix? Appendicitis can be fatal!
"If the infected appendix is not removed, an abscess may form and eventually burst or perforate. This may happen as soon as 48 to 72 hours after symptoms begin. A perforated appendix can spread its infection throughout the abdomen and become life-threatening."
"Appendicitis affects 7% of the U.S. population and is the most common reason for a child to need emergency abdominal surgery." (http://kidshealth.org/parent/infecti...icitis_p2.html)
"Overall mortality rate of 0.2-0.8% is attributable to complications of the disease rather than to surgical intervention. Mortality rate rises above 20% in patients older than 70 years, primarily because of diagnostic and therapeutic delay." (http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic41.htm)

Did you know that a vegetarian diet can significantly lower your chances of getting cancer? Cancer is the #2 killer in the U.S. (info can be found all over the nternet)

My points?

(1) Removing body parts or mutulating children is generally not accepted practice of preventative medicine. Why is circumcision any different?

(2) If people are so concerned about their children's health, why don't they all prescribe and follow a vegetarian diet? Cancer is the #2 killer in the U.S. -- much higher than AIDS, urinary tract infections, etc.

It just seems to me like people are trying to justify a barbaric practice so that their boys aren't embarrased in the locker room.

[Mommiska]

Fleiss' book has a good section about the HIV/circumcision thing. Sounds like the supposed protective effect was essentially made up by some pro-circ guy, and they've been trying to design studies to 'prove' it ever since.

The US has the highest rate of circumcised men in the Western world - and if I'm not mistaken, also has the highest rate of men infected with HIV? (I'm pretty sure that's what the Fleiss book said).

Circumcision is hardly protective! Besides which - does anyone really want their circumcised son to go around having unprotected promiscuous sex, thinking that the circumcision is going to keep him safe?! Obviously not. It's just such a warped arguement all the way around.