On August 21, President Obama announced the launch of the National HIV/AIDS Community Discussions. The White House Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP) will be hosting the program, which includes events all around the country.

These events are intended to evoke discussion about what can be done to prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS throughout the United States. According to President Obama, it is vital that the United States begin to reduce the occurrence of new HIV and AIDS cases, increase access to effective health care for those who are infected, and reduce the number of HIV/AIDS-related health problems.

The first of the National Community Discussions will be held in Atlanta, Georgia on August 25, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. This event is a part of the 2009 National HIV Prevention Conference, which will be held from August 23 to 26. Those who will already be attending the conference are eligible to attend the forum. In addition, 200 tickets have been set aside for local Atlanta residents who wish to attend the discussion.

A new topic to be discussed at the conference is the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) promotion of male circumcision at birth, in order to reduce the risk of spreading HIV. According to The New York Times, the CDC is set to release a formal draft of the recommendations at the end of this year.

Although the procedure could be beneficial to baby boys later in life, the major concern is that the procedure may not protect men who have sex with men, who are most at risk for contracting HIV.

Clinical trials in African nations showed that men who were circumcised were 60 percent less likely to contract HIV than those who were not circumcised. However, these studies focused on participants who had female sexual partners. Moreover, the results of the studies may not be applicable in the United States because the disease is not as prevalent, is transmitted through different routes, and also because the health systems are completely different.

Proponents of the idea feel that there are still many benefits to the procedure, and that any practice capable of preventing the spread of HIV is worth supporting.

During this week’s conference, organizations dealing with the topic of circumcision will be present to voice their opinions about the latest recommendation from the CDC.

Circumcision is only one of many topics to be discussed at this week’s National HIV Prevention Conference. The program for the conference will cover all aspects of HIV and AIDS prevention, including presentations on research as well as information about prevention programs.

The four day event is focused on providing opportunities for members of the HIV/AIDS community to share information about the progression of the disease in the country, as well as to brainstorm solutions to stop it from spreading.

For further information, please see the 2009 National HIV Prevention Conference Web site.