UNAIDS Press Release - July 26, 2005

Although the trial shows promising protective effects of adult male circumcision in reducing HIV acquisition, UNAIDS emphasizes that more research is needed to confirm the reproducibility of the findings of this trial and whether or not the results have more general application. In particular the findings from two ongoing trials in Uganda and Kenya, funded by the US National Institutes of Health, will be important to clarify the relationship between male circumcision and HIV in differing social and cultural contexts.

The results of these trials will need to be considered by governments and other key stakeholders in order to determine whether male circumcision should be promoted as an additional public health intervention to reduce the risk of sexual transmission of HIV.

If male circumcision is confirmed to be an effective intervention to reduce risk of acquiring HIV, this will not mean that men will be prevented from becoming infected with HIV during sexual intercourse through circumcision alone. Nor does male circumcision provide protection for sexual partners against HIV infection. It will therefore be essential that it be part of a comprehensive prevention package, which includes correct and consistent condom use, behaviour change, and voluntary counselling and testing. Any new prevention modality must not undermine existing protective behaviours and prevention strategies that reduce the risk of HIV transmission.

Although UNAIDS believes that it is premature to recommend male circumcision services as part of HIV prevention programmes, there is heightened interest from governments and the general public in male circumcision in a number of African countries. News of the trial results presented today may increase demand for male circumcision services. Governments should take steps now to ensure that male circumcision is conducted by trained practitioners in safe and equipped settings in order to reduce the rate of post-operative complications.

UNAIDS and other international agencies are working together to review available research results and their implications for HIV prevention and male reproductive health strategies in order to provide coordinated, consistent and up-to-date guidance and support to governments and other development partners.

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