Male circumcision and HIV: A controversy study on facts and values

Abstract

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.

Keywords:

• male circumcision
• scientific facts
• scientific values
• HIV/AIDS
• controversy studies

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge ANRS (Agence Nationale de Recherche sur le Sida et les hépaties virales, France), Grant 12203; CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, Brasil, Brazil), Grant 301049/2009-2; FAPERJ (Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and Grant E-26/102.818/2012UERJ (Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) for the funding and support.