Male circumcision and HIV: a controversy study on facts and values.
We present a controversy study on the association between male circumcision (MC) and HIV. Our general goal is to shed light on the issue, unravelling and comparing different conceptions of scientific evidence and their respective world views. We seek to reconstruct, based on an analysis of the literature on the topic, key moments in the history of the controversy about the association between MC and HIV prevention, analysing more closely three recent randomised studies, given their relevance to the argumentative strategy employed by those who defend circumcision as a prevention method. Following this, we present a synthesis of the main arguments against the three referred studies. In conclusion, it seems that reasonable arguments for a more cautious approach are not being adequately considered.
Instituto de Medicina Social, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. kencamargo@gmail.com
Kenneth Rochel
KR
de Camargo
André Luiz
AL
de Oliveira Mendonça
Christophe
C
Perrey
Alain
A
Giami
D002944:Circumcision, Male; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male