5 ms·

Hoe it works out! But I’m not sure I understand how it works, so 13 hiv negative people not considered at risk of HIV are getting injected, how will they know i

Hoe it works out! But I’m not sure I understand how it works, so 13 hiv negative people not considered at risk of HIV are getting injected, how will they know if the vaccine works ? Wouldn’t you rather take two groups of people exposed to HIV, vaccinate one and compare the rate of infection of both ? And also, I had no idea male circumcision contributed to reducing the infection rate during unprotected sex, how is that, is it because there’s less friction somehow and therefore less chances of blood exchanging between partners ?

jagger27 5y ago
This is most likely a Phase I human trial which only establishes the safety of the drug (or vaccine), which is why it is such a small group. Phases II and III establish the efficacy.
maayank 5y ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circumcision_and_HIV#Mechanism_of_action https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circumcision_and_HIV#Mechanism...
- BitwiseFool 5y ago
  >"While the biological mechanism of action is not known". Keep this in mind, and anyone reading HN should know that circumcision is quite possibly the least effective way to reduce HIV transmission. Circumcision has always been peddled as some disease reducing measure. Don't accept that on face value and research the subject. Especially Non-American sources.
  - maayank 5y ago
    > Keep this in mind, and anyone reading HN should know that circumcision is quite possibly the least effective way to reduce HIV transmission Not knowing why it works != it doesn’t work
notRobot 5y ago
You're supposed to clean under the foreskin and regularly wash male genitalia, unlike vaginas - which are self-cleaning and should never be soaped or washed. Many men in less-developed places such as poorer countries in Africa aren't taught that. The studies that show STD rates being lowered with circumcision almost all take place in places like those, where along with poor genital hygiene, contraception (such as condoms) are used much less frequently and proper sex ed is almost never taught. The reality is that the rates of STD transmission aren't higher for uncircumcised penises as long as proper genital hygiene is maintained.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- willnz 5y ago
  But why would human male genitalia be so different from other male animals in the regard? I'm pretty sure soapy water isn't part of the cleaning regime other animals have...
  - admax88q 5y ago
    Are you sure it's different? Or do we just have a much lower tolerance for spreading disease than most animals.
  - _Microft 5y ago
    Proper care for animals increases their life expectancy a lot as well. The difference in life expectancy between (domestic) cats being cared for by humans and living in the wild is huge: 15-20 years vs. 1.5-4.2 years. German source, because English WP lacks this information - just use a translation tool of your choice: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hauskatze#Lebenserwartung https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hauskatze#Lebenserwartung
    - nomel 5y ago
      Yet cats are self cleaning in both cases, with the SPCA saying that cats should not usually be bathed [1]. This longevity is most likely related to diet, and not being eaten by predators. [1] https://www.ccspca.com/blog-spca/education/bathing-a-cat/ https://www.ccspca.com/blog-spca/education/bathing-a-cat/
normalasnorfolk 5y ago
From what I've read, and heard from friends in Kenya (where circumcision is a prevalent tradition and the area has a high infection rate), is that circumcision reduces the infection rate because it hardens the skin of the penis - meaning less abrasions and cuts, meaning less blood mixing/contamination.
- chownie 5y ago
  That and some studies have made the error of including recently circumcised men in their circumcised group, which drops their rate of infection drastically because they don't engage in sexual activity during the recovery period of their operation.
- BitwiseFool 5y ago
  >"because it hardens the skin of the penis" It's amazing that pro-circumcision doctors and studies conclude this simple fact has no impact on function or sensation at all.

jagger27 5y ago

This is most likely a Phase I human trial which only establishes the safety of the drug (or vaccine), which is why it is such a small group. Phases II and III establish the efficacy.

maayank 5y ago

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circumcision_and_HIV#Mechanism_of_action https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circumcision_and_HIV#Mechanism...

BitwiseFool 5y ago
>"While the biological mechanism of action is not known". Keep this in mind, and anyone reading HN should know that circumcision is quite possibly the least effective way to reduce HIV transmission. Circumcision has always been peddled as some disease reducing measure. Don't accept that on face value and research the subject. Especially Non-American sources.
- maayank 5y ago
  > Keep this in mind, and anyone reading HN should know that circumcision is quite possibly the least effective way to reduce HIV transmission Not knowing why it works != it doesn’t work

notRobot 5y ago

You're supposed to clean under the foreskin and regularly wash male genitalia, unlike vaginas - which are self-cleaning and should never be soaped or washed. Many men in less-developed places such as poorer countries in Africa aren't taught that. The studies that show STD rates being lowered with circumcision almost all take place in places like those, where along with poor genital hygiene, contraception (such as condoms) are used much less frequently and proper sex ed is almost never taught. The reality is that the rates of STD transmission aren't higher for uncircumcised penises as long as proper genital hygiene is maintained.

deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
willnz 5y ago
But why would human male genitalia be so different from other male animals in the regard? I'm pretty sure soapy water isn't part of the cleaning regime other animals have...
- admax88q 5y ago
  Are you sure it's different? Or do we just have a much lower tolerance for spreading disease than most animals.
- _Microft 5y ago
  Proper care for animals increases their life expectancy a lot as well. The difference in life expectancy between (domestic) cats being cared for by humans and living in the wild is huge: 15-20 years vs. 1.5-4.2 years. German source, because English WP lacks this information - just use a translation tool of your choice: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hauskatze#Lebenserwartung https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hauskatze#Lebenserwartung
  - nomel 5y ago
    Yet cats are self cleaning in both cases, with the SPCA saying that cats should not usually be bathed [1]. This longevity is most likely related to diet, and not being eaten by predators. [1] https://www.ccspca.com/blog-spca/education/bathing-a-cat/ https://www.ccspca.com/blog-spca/education/bathing-a-cat/

normalasnorfolk 5y ago

From what I've read, and heard from friends in Kenya (where circumcision is a prevalent tradition and the area has a high infection rate), is that circumcision reduces the infection rate because it hardens the skin of the penis - meaning less abrasions and cuts, meaning less blood mixing/contamination.

chownie 5y ago
That and some studies have made the error of including recently circumcised men in their circumcised group, which drops their rate of infection drastically because they don't engage in sexual activity during the recovery period of their operation.
BitwiseFool 5y ago
>"because it hardens the skin of the penis" It's amazing that pro-circumcision doctors and studies conclude this simple fact has no impact on function or sensation at all.