A non-religious argument for circumcision

This is is interesting news given the increasing opposition among medical professionals to the tradition of male circumcision (especially in Europe).

Of course, avoiding STDs would be a paradoxical argument for those who consider it religiously mandated/encouraged.

Circumcision Halves H.I.V. Risk, U.S. Agency Finds – New York Times

Circumcision appears to reduce a man’s risk of contracting AIDS from heterosexual sex by half, United States government health officials said yesterday, and the directors of the two largest funds for fighting the disease said they would consider paying for circumcisions in high-risk countries.

The announcement was made by officials of the National Institutes of Health as they halted two clinical trials, in Kenya and Uganda, on the ground that not offering circumcision to all the men taking part would be unethical. The success of the trials confirmed a study done last year in South Africa.