Science on Islamic path

Saturday, December 16, 2006 Science on Islamic path Circumcised men nearly halved their risk of contracting HIV: Science on Islamic path User Rating: / 0 Saturday, 16 December 2006 Poor Best Poor Best Researchers have discovered that circumcised men have a lesser chance of acquiring HIV. One of the principal investigators explains how the information will be used. Dec. 15, 2006 - This week, researchers announced that results from a large study in Africa had determined that men who were circumcised nearly halved their risk of contracting HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. The findings were hailed by officials from health organizations around the world who suggested that the age-old practice of circumcision may become one of the newest and most effective weapons in the fight against AIDS in the Third World. Dr. Ron Gray, an epidemiologist from Johns Hopkins University's Bloomberg School of Public Health, was one of the principal investigators on the study. He talked to NEWSWEEK's Peg Tyre about the discovery and what it means in the battle against the deadly virus. Excerpts: NEWSWEEK: Tell our readers about the study. Ron Gray: In August of 2003, we launched a randomized trial of 5,000 uninfected Ugandan men between the ages of 15 and 49 who agreed to either receive information about HIV prevention and immediate circumcision, or get the information about HIV prevention and wait two years before receiving circumcision. Two years later, we followed up with them in order to determine the rates of HIV and other infections. An independent analysis of our data showed that the rate of HIV had been almost halved in the circumcised men compared to the uncircumcised men. The study was stopped this month because, of course, it would be unethical to deprive the men in the control group of the benefits of this procedure. Were you surprised at the results? Yes and no. Based on another smaller, observational study, we thought that circumcision was likely to be protective. The fact that the (independent auditing body) stopped the study at this point was unexpected. Courtesy Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthDr. Ron Gray What is it about circumcision that confers this protection? We believe this happens in three ways. On the inner surface of foreskin, the mucosa, there is a very large number of immune cells that are targets of the HIV virus. During sex, it is unprotected. The external section of the foreskin and the shaft of the penis (exposed on an uncircumcised man during sex) is more protected because it is covered by a protein called keratin which provides a very effective barrier to HIV. Secondly, during intercourse, the foreskin can get traumatized and it can get breaches in it, allowing the virus to enter. A third factor is that the men who are circumcised are less likely to have genital ulcers, and genital ulcers increase the risk of HIV acquisition. What does this mean for Americans? I find it difficult to speak about the U.S. when we conducted research in sub-Saharan Africa, but I will point out that a high proportion of men are already circumcised in the U.S. While we have shown that circumcision is protective in heterosexual sexual intercourse, we don't know if it is protective in homosexual intercourse—although there are some observational studies that suggest it is. Circumcision does not protect against another main form of transmission in the U.S., and that is intravenous drug use. The Centers for Disease Control will have to determine what the research means for the U.S. Are you worried that people will interpret these findings to mean that they don't have to practice safe sex if they are circumcised? We are very worried about that. We went to great lengths to make it clear to the men in the trial—even if they are circumcised—that the protection is only partial. They are still going to have to practice safe sex. If men become complacent and believe that circumcision is highly protective and don't use safe sex, they will be in trouble. Safe sex will still be the mantra. 8:19:31 PM Posted By Mohammed Irshad Hussain Comments (2) Society Comments arshad hussein Saturday, December 16, 2006 8:34:16 PM I've read this that only circumcised men don't get HIV. But this: We are very worried about that. We went to great lengths to make it clear to the men in the trial—even if they are circumcised—that the protection is only partial. They are still going to have to practice safe sex. If men become complacent and believe that circumcision is highly protective and don't use safe sex, they will be in trouble. Safe sex will still be the mantra. K.Venugopal Monday, December 18, 2006 10:37:04 PM Is Dr. Zakir Naik going to claim that Allah foresaw AIDS and introduced circumcision to protect the believers? Did He give with circumcision the sanction to indulge in unnatural sex? Don't get me wrong folks, but I am provoked into such retorts when Muslims indulge in chest-thumping every time they see a "I-told-you-so (that Islam is the greatest)” opportunity. If not, what is the meaning of the heading ". . . Science on Islamic path"?