New Study Shows Condoms 95 Times More Cost-Effective than Circumcision in HIV Battle

Results of the new study, "The Cost to Circumcise Africa,"; published this month in the International Journal of Men's Health, that compares the cost of male circumcision to the cost of lifetime distribution of free condoms in sub-Saharan Africa, found that condom distribution is 95 times more cost-effective in preventing the same number of infections.

West Lafayette, IN (PRWEB) October 17, 2008 -- Results of the new study, “The Cost to Circumcise Africa,” published this month in the International Journal of Men’s Health, that compares the cost of male circumcision to the cost of lifetime distribution of free condoms in sub-Saharan Africa, found that condom distribution is 95 times more cost-effective in preventing the same number of infections.

“Some might call circumcision an ‘HIV vaccine,’ but its moderate, supposed-effectiveness, along with its very high cost and practical dangers, makes it a questionable and risky preventative,” said co-author Ryan McAllister, PhD, Biophysics, Georgetown University, Washington, DC. “Condoms succeed 99% of the time, while circumcision, at best, fails about half the time.”

“Male circumcision is too costly to justify in the HIV battle. Even if circumcision does offer some protection against heterosexually transmitted HIV, condoms clearly provide much more protection, at a much lower cost,” said study co-author and Wellness Associates founder, John Travis, MD, MPH. “It just doesn’t make sense to perform mass surgeries in a region of the world struggling to meet the most basic healthcare needs, especially when there are more cost-effective plans for achieving the same results.”

The study’s findings suggest that behavior change programs are more efficient and cost-effective than surgical procedures. In addition, condom usage provides protection for women as well as men. This is significant in an area where almost 61% of adults living with AIDS are women.

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