Funding Source and Period: amfAR, 2008-2010

Key HIV Center Personnel:

Principal Investigator: Joanne Mantell, Ph.D.

Project Overview

Three randomized controlled trials conducted in South Africa, Kenya and Uganda demonstrated that male circumcision (MC) reduced the risk of HIV among adult heterosexual men by as much as 61%. However, MC provides only partial protection against HIV infection for heterosexual men, and may not protect women. Misunderstandings about the partial effectiveness of MC could generate significant mistrust and distortion of existing scientific evidence about MC as the technology is “scaled up”, especially in a setting such as South Africa, where mainstream causes of AIDS have been challenged. Information from this study will be used to guide program planning for the widespread availability of MC.