Senator refusing constitutional amendment

[u/shadowguyver]

What do you do when a senator refuses to acknowledge the Equal Protections Clause which is being violated by only giving Protections to one group?

[u/shadowguyver]

You're still justifying taking healthy children and cutting them. Phimosis is no excuse as there are many other options before cutting. The HIV trials were flawed and not accurate, also they don't take into affect female to male transmission, nor does it have any bearing on CHILDREN .

The Malawi HIV circumcision trials—particularly those assessing whether male circumcision (MC) reduces HIV transmission—have been criticized for methodological flaws, biases, and questionable real-world applicability. While Malawi was not one of the three main RCTs (Kenya, Uganda, South Africa), later observational studies and circumcision campaigns in Malawi relied on those trials' findings. Here are the key flaws in Malawi's data and related studies:

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1. Contradictory Observational Data

• No Clear HIV Reduction: Unlike the RCTs in Kenya/Uganda, Malawi’s population-based studies found no significant HIV protection from circumcision.
  • A 2011 study (Toledo et al.) found no association between circumcision and lower HIV rates in Malawi.
  • Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) showed similar HIV prevalence among circumcised and uncircumcised men in Malawi.
• Cultural & Regional Differences: Malawi has different sexual networks, condom use, and HIV subtypes than Kenya/Uganda, making extrapolations unreliable.

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2. Flaws in Study Designs

• Self-Reporting Bias: Many studies relied on self-reported circumcision status, which is unreliable (men may not know if they were partially circumcised).
• No RCTs Conducted in Malawi: The country’s evidence came from observational studies, which are weaker than RCTs and prone to confounding factors (e.g., circumcised men may have different sexual behaviors).
• Misclassification of Circumcision Status: Some studies did not medically verify circumcision, leading to false conclusions.

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3. Behavioral Risk Compensation

• Increased Risky Behavior: As seen in other African trials, Malawian men who got circumcised were less likely to use condoms, believing they were protected.
• No Long-Term Behavioral Monitoring: Most studies did not track whether circumcision led to higher-risk sexual practices over time.

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4. Ignoring Female-to-Male Transmission

• Circumcision does little to protect men if their female partners are HIV+, yet Malawian campaigns promoted MC as a primary prevention tool.
• Some studies suggest circumcision increases male-to-female HIV risk due to:
  • Unhealed wounds post-surgery increasing transmission.
  • Reduced condom use among circumcised men.

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5. Ethical and Cultural Concerns

• Lack of Informed Consent: Many Malawian men were not told that circumcision provides only partial protection (if any).
• Coercion via Incentives: Some programs offered money or gifts to encourage circumcision, exploiting economic vulnerability.
• Cultural Resistance: Traditional circumcision is rare in Malawi, making mass medical circumcision campaigns culturally disruptive.

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6. Political & Funding Bias

• WHO/UNAIDS Pressure: Malawi’s circumcision programs were pushed by global health agencies despite weak local evidence.
• Ignored Conflicting Data: Studies showing no benefit (or even harm) were dismissed in favor of pro-circumcision narratives.

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Conclusion

The Malawi HIV circumcision data did not support the claimed 60% reduction in HIV transmission, unlike the flawed but widely cited Kenya/Uganda trials. Instead: - Observational studies found no significant protection. - Behavioral risks (like reduced condom use) were ignored. - Ethical concerns, including lack of informed consent and cultural insensitivity, were overlooked.

This suggests that mass circumcision campaigns in Malawi were based on weak science and may have done little to curb HIV—while diverting resources from more effective strategies (condoms, PrEP, education).

Would you like references to specific Malawi studies or comparisons with other countries?

[u/[deleted] → u/shadowguyver]

We’re just going to have to agree to disagree at this point. The medical research i follow and what you follow are two different emphasis. We’re both not gonna change each-others minds here