Priorities for 2012

AVAC's Playbook 2012 sets out top strategic goals and priorities in HIV prevention for ourselves—and for the world. Here's what we have to say about voluntary medical male circumcision. For more, visit www.avac.org/playbook.

What's New

• Advocacy Talking Points: Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision
• The voluntary medical male circumcision section from AVAC Report 2011
• Accelerating access to voluntary medical male circumcision

Background

Male medical circumcision is among the most effective biomedical strategies for reduction of men’s risk of acquiring HIV from female sexual partners. As a result, the World Health Organization, UNAIDS and many implementers have recognized large-scale medical male circumcision as a key element of strategies to end the AIDS epidemic. However, six years after the release of data from the East African trials, the procedure is still being implemented unevenly—even in countries where it could have a significant impact. Advocates have a key role to play in speeding implementation that anticipates and addresses community concerns.

Medical male circumcision refers to the surgical removal of the foreskin to lower the risk of contracting HIV. The resultant decrease in infection for medically circumcised men is conservatively estimated at 60 percent. On a population basis, such a reduction could significantly slow the spread of the disease. As the proportion of circumcised males increases and female to male infection rates fall, women will start to see reduced risk as well.

Below you will find resources to learn more about male medical circumcision and the way forward at both an introductory and technical level.

Resources

In addition to the resources here, a wide range of materials and updates on global activities can be found at the Clearinghouse on Male Circumcision on HIV Prevention, a collaborative effort of AVAC, WHO/UNAIDS and FHI to generate and share informational resources with the international public health community, civil society groups, health policy makers and program managers.

• Introductory Information: For the basics of medical male circumcision, visit the About Male Circumcision section. A male circumcision fact sheet (PDF) is available for download in English, French, Portuguese, Spanish and Thai.

• In-Depth Information: For much more on medical male circumcision and issues surrounding medical male circumcision research, visit the Male Circumcision Resources for a wide range of materials.

• Recent Results: For these details, visit the Male Circumcision Clinical Trials page.