CDC rec to counsel all males about benefits of circumcision

Wasn't sure the best place to put this, but here's the article:

CDC Considers Counseling Males Of All Ages On Circumcision : Shots - Health News : NPR

What do you think of this? Have you read the African studies and do you think they translate to our population? Do you think it's a good idea from a public health standpoint?

[Red Kryptonite]

I think the US has always (well, not always, but the last 100 years) had an astronomically higher circumcision rate than Europe, yet at the same time higher infection rates for HIV and all STIs.

I think questionable studies done on an African population where the vast majority of non drug related HIV infections are heterosexually transmitted do not necessarily apply to the United States where the vast majority of new non drug related HIV cases are in homosexuals.

I think circumcision is a cultural, cosmetic surgery that some people will never stop trying to justify medically, and will eventually be looked upon as a barbaric horror much like we now view lobotomies.

http://childrightsnurses.org

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

My first husband wasn't circ'ed, since he was born in Japan (not Japanese, his dad was in the military there) and our son was not circ'ed. I was sorry to see his baby boy was, though. No idea why.

[Julie186]

I was especially amused by the interest in counseling teenagers about getting circumcisions to prevent STDs. Are we that afraid to teach about safe sex that we are proposing surgeries rather than teach them to "wrap it up?"

[Red Kryptonite]

With as white as my husband turned the one time we seriously discussed vasectomy, I can just imagine stampedes of teenage boys and men eager to let someone take a knife to their penis.

[sistrmoon, BSN, RN]

I know there are many industrialized countries where circumcision is almost never done. I wonder how their STI rates compare to ours?

[klone, MSN, RN]

It makes me angry. I hate RIC. I have read the African studies on HIV prevention, and I think it's fallacious to compare practices in Sub-Saharan Africa as if they would translate to practices in Westernized countries. As Red Kryptonite mentioned, compare the US rates to those in Europe, where the majority of men are intact - Europe does NOT have higher STI/HIV rates.

I think RIC is a barbaric, horrible practice.

I think circumcision is a cultural, cosmetic surgery that some people will never stop trying to justify medically, and will eventually be looked upon as a barbaric horror much like we now view lobotomies.

I completely agree, but sadly, I don't share your belief that it will eventually be considered barbaric. At least, I don't think it will in our lifetime.

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

Circ'ing to prevent STIs is like putting out birthday candles w/ a firehose.

[Emergent, RN]

I have 4 sons, none circumcised. They are all alive. I think they used condoms, but I never asked them.

My husband was from Europe and it's uncommon there. They seem to be healthy, most European nations have a higher life expectancy than the US.

[klone, MSN, RN]

Circ'ing to prevent STIs is like putting out birthday candles w/ a firehose.

It's like removing an infant girl's breast buds to prevent breast cancer.

[mhy12784]

As a guy, I think not being circ'd is absolutely bizarre and horrendous.

I remember the first time I saw an uncircumcised person when I went into nursing and was like *** is going on

Of course theres also the scary risk of being uncircumcised and having your junk strangulate itself, and then becoming gangrenous down there plus major hygeine issues.

To each their own, but I cant figure out a single reason why a person would prefer it.

[Red Kryptonite]

Wow...so 70-80% of the world's men are bizarre and horrendous and at risk for their genitals strangling themselves? You're a NURSE?!