Tuesday 16 February 2010

CDC consultation report

Male Circumcision in the United States for the Prevention of HIV Infection and Other Adverse Health Outcomes: Report from a CDC Consultation has now been published.

It is a lengthy document, worth reading in full. I'll just highlight here what I think are the most interesting recommendations:


  • With respect to HIV prevention, MC should be framed as one of several partially effective risk-reduction alternatives for heterosexual men that should be used in combination for maximal protection.

  • Recommendations for infant and adolescent/adult MC should be framed as interventions to promote genital health and hygiene, including HIV, STI, and UTI prevention and other outcomes.

  • Recommend reimbursement for MC by public and private insurers to ensure equal access across states, to all socioeconomic groups, and in special settings (e.g., military or prisons).

  • In collaboration with other HHS agencies and health insurers, assess public and private insurance coverage for elective neonatal MC.

  • Medical benefits outweigh risks for infant MC, and there are many practical advantages of doing it in the newborn period.

  • Benefits and risks should be explained to parents to facilitate shared decision-making in the newborn period.
    CDC, AAP, and others should make/update recommendations about infant circumcisions for HIV and broader health concerns.

  • Develop educational resources about infant circumcision for parents, practitioners, and the public.

2 comments:

Carlos said...

Great news! I like the fact that they're taking all these things into consideration.

Anonymous said...

Recommendations for infant and adolescent/adult MC should be framed as interventions to promote genital health and hygiene, ...

Am I the only one who sees the irony in suggesting that cutting off part of an organ is a way to promote its "health"?