Male Circumcision and HIV: Notebook: Genital Integrity 2008

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The CDC/AAP Project
The CDC is currently considering becoming the only public health organization in the world (WHO and UNAIDS aside) that recommends male circumcision to "prevent" AIDS. Millions will suffer if their impending advice becomes official. Herein are the resources to contact members of the CDC to voice your opposition. Please also contact your representative if you are in the United States.

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Male Circumcision and HIV provides a place for a public health policy debate on the linking of male circumcision and HIV/AIDS. It seeks to address questions of cost versus benefit, the effectiveness of circumcision in the fight against HIV/AIDS in real world settings, and the differing points of view of researchers, the media, and all contributors to the policy discussion.

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David Wilton
David Wilton is a lawyer by training. He has a long-standing interest in issues of body integrity and HIV/AIDS. He maintains this site and blogs from San Francisco, California. His primary interests outside of nurturing a debate on the controversial measure of removing sexual tissue to reduce the spread of HIV are in the areas of international relations, languages, and journalism.

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« WHO issues paper with circumcision caveats, editorial echoes doubts | Main | Haste makes wasted lives: African circumcision complications shockingly high »

Wednesday, September 03, 2008

Notebook: Genital Integrity 2008

I'm here at the University of Keele in the UK for the Genital Integrity Conference. The first day was a fascinating mix of legal and medical presentations touching on male and female circumcision given by a diverse group of presenters from lawyers to health professionals who have come from as far away as Australia, Africa, and North America.

The schedule yesterday began at 9 AM and lasted until 10 PM. Today promises to be an equally grueling, but very worthwhile schedule of presenters on psychology, physiology, conservative treatment for the rare foreskin problem, female genital mutilation, and several presentations addressing Judaism.

Tomorrow will definitely be the most interesting day of all for this blogger in that male circumcision and HIV will be discussed most of the day, including a presentation on the experiences of a group who manned a booth at the AIDS 2008 conference in Mexico City last week.

More reports and photos coming after the symposium ...

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Posted by David Wilton at 03:42 AM in Genital Integrity 2008, Notebook | Permalink

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Speaker's Bureau
Yes, that's right. A one speaker bureau. I'm available to speak at your event on a variety of circumcision and HIV topics. Just cover the expenses or part of the expenses or if you're close enough none of the expenses.

I will be presenting at the 11th International Symposium on Circumcision and Human Rights in July. Hope to see you there.
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Dr. Andrew Freedman's email address added
I have added the email address for Dr. Andrew Freedman of the AAP Task Force on Circumcision on The CDC/AAP Project page.
andrew.freedman@cshs.org
Also please see the NEW! designation for new contact information generally, including Michael T. Brady, M.D., who is on the AAP Task Force on Circumcision.
michael.brady@nationwidechildrens.org
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The AAP/CDC Project
Please check out the The AAP/CDC Project page for names and addresses of people you should contact to speak out on the misguided effort to circumcise baby boys without consent or need. Follow this [link] to go directly to that page.

Or call (404) 639-3311 now and ask for Dr. Peter Kilmarx to tell him why infant circumcision is a bad idea.

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Elsewhere on the Web

Circumcision and AIDS at MGMbill.org
A decidedly anti-circumcision site with a calm approach to addressing the human rights issues likely to become problematic in the rush to roll out circumcision as an HIV prophylactic.
Circumcision and HIV at circumstitions.com
One of the most thorough reviews anywhere of circumcision and the history behind the HIV prevention community's study of it. The science behind this prophylactic tool is much more equivocal than the most recent researchers would have you believe. New Zealand based.
Circumcision and HIV: Harm Outweighs Benefits from circumcision.org
From the Circumcision Resource Center, Boston, Massachusetts. This human rights organization has published such books as Questioning Circumcision: A Jewish Perspective and Circumcision: The Hidden Trauma. Sitting on its board are a number of individuals affiliated with Harvard and other Ivy League institutions.
Circumcision and HIV infection from CIRP.org
From the Circumcision Information Resource Pages. Not as up-to-date, but an excellent primer on the issue.
Doctors Opposing Circumcision statement on HIV
Doctor's Opposing Circumcision is a Seattle based physicians group that provides education, information and advice on medical circumcision and its effects.
Statement on AIDS and Circumcision from the International Coalition for Genital Integrity
Another thorough treatment of male circumcision's likely impact on the spread of HIV from an "alliance of organizations dedicated to protecting the normal anatomy of males, females and the intersexed ... [that] was formed to coalesce the many activist organizations, each with a specific focus, into one, common voice."
Does circumcision prevent HIV infection? - NORM-UK
John Dalton puts together a critique of the African studies and their weaknesses. He examines the evidence, appropriateness, and possible outcomes from promoting circumcision and calling it a "prevention."

Sources

HIV/AIDS Medscape [free registration required]
This site is owned by WebMD.com. It is a great source for breaking news. I wouldn't necessarily trust it completely on the issue of circumcision as it is US-based. But the HIV/AIDS coverage is pretty good.
UCSF HIV InSite Gateway to HIV Information
The University of California - San Francisco is a leading medical teaching and research university in the HIV/AIDS field. Generally very reliable, it occasionally oversells or misstates the prevention message, most obviously and unfortunately regarding circumcision.
IRIN PlusNews
I don't like this source because it tends to be a bit sensationalist, in my opinion. But it is pretty good for divining which way the wind is blowing.
Aidsmap: Circumcision News
An otherwise great source, they have recently begun to climb on the bandwagon. The tone of the reports seem reticent as evidenced by their providing some great quotes. Coincidence? Inadvertent? Maybe, but hope not.

Interviews

San Francisco attorney David Wilton discusses male circumcision, HIV, and human rights.
San Francisco attorney David Wilton interviewed on Outlook Video viz human rights and male circumcision

Male Circumcision and HIV