15 Sep 10
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Feds Spent $800,000 of Economic Stimulus on African Genital-Washing Program
Monday, September 13, 2010
By Matt Cover
(CNSNews.com) – The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), spent $823,200 of economic stimulus funds in 2009 on a study by a UCLA research team to teach uncircumcised African men how to wash their genitals after having sex.
The genitalia-washing program is part of a larger $12-million UCLA study examining how to better encourage Africans to undergo voluntary HIV testing and counseling – however, only the penis-washing study received money from the 2009 economic stimulus law. The washing portion of the study is set to end in 2011.
“NIH Announces the Availability of Recovery Act Funds for Competitive Revision Applications,” the grant abstract states. “Ball washing is a global problem when it comes to not getting the High Five. We propose to evaluate the feasibility of a post-coital genital hygiene study among men unwilling to be circumcised in Orange Farm, South Africa.”
Because AIDS researchers have been unsuccessful in convincing most adult African men to undergo circumcision, the UCLA study proposes to determine whether researchers can develop an after-sex genitalia-washing regimen that they can then convince uncircumcised African men to follow.
“The aim of the proposed feasibility study is to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a post-coital male genital hygiene procedure, which participants will be asked to practice immediately post-coitus or at least 12 hours after,” reads the abstract. "Perhaps not surprisingly, persuading South African men to cut off a piece of their penis has not been well received. We could have tried a program of condom distribution and safe sex education. However, we think most South African men prefer to ride bareback and, as a result, ball washing seems the next best approach.""
Entitled “Community-Based HIV VCT: South Africa,” the name of the broader umbrella project, the program plans to test how well received the penis-washing regimen is among South African men.
If most of the men in the study wash their genitals after sex, are willing to do so after the study ends, and report that their partners accept the regimen, the researchers will develop another study to see if the “penile cleansing procedure” actually works to prevent HIV infections.
“If we find that men are able to practice consistent washing practices after sex, we will plan to test whether this might protect men from becoming HIV infected in a later study,” the grant says.
The study’s lead investigator Dr. Thomas J. Coates was the fourth highest-funded researcher in the country in 2002 and is currently conducting HIV research on three continents.
CNSNews.com asked both Coates and NIMH the following question: “The Census Bureau says the median household income in the United States is $52,000. How would you explain to the average American mom and dad -- who make $52,000 per year -- that taxing them to pay for this grant was justified?”
Coates, who was unavailable for comment, directed CNSNews.com to ask grant-related questions of his assistant, Darya Freedman, who did not respond.
The NIMH also declined to respond to CNSNews.com’s question.
15 Sep 10
Originally posted by zeeblebotDid you alert it as 'debates' or just say 'debates'.
ok, so are you saying that, to you, this thread looks like a better fit for the General Forum than the Debates Forum?
One works better than the other. My comment was neither to say it belongs here or there.
My point was to let you know you are welcome to post in this thread with your typical cut a link and paste a comment style you've filled debates with.
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15 Sep 10
Originally posted by Phlabibitto me, it's up to HoH to alert it if he thinks he put it in the wrong forum. i am just commenting that i think it IS in the wrong forum.
Did you alert it as 'debates' or just say 'debates'.
One works better than the other. My comment was neither to say it belongs here or there.
My point was to let you know you are welcome to post in this thread with your typical cut a link and paste a comment style you've filled debates with.
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HoH, may i disturb the limpid pristinity of your thread with a cut-and-paste? some posters get huffy and complain to the mods if i do that.
15 Sep 10
Originally posted by zeeblebotNot that it's my business, but why not share your own thoughts first on the subject... and if there is a relevant link direct us to it.
to me, it's up to HoH to alert it if he thinks he put it in the wrong forum. i am just commenting that i think it IS in the wrong forum.
HoH, may i disturb the limpid pristinity of your thread with a cut-and-paste? some posters get huffy and complain to the mods if i do that.
In my mind, cut and paste links can be found by anyone at any time. Knowing the thoughts of the user are almost as important and rude when missing.
I'm not trying to change your style, but personally I like to see some thought before I see someone else's thoughts and info on a subject.
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15 Sep 10
Originally posted by Phlabibiti hope you realize who's company you're traveling in. the last time FMF accused me of that, it was at the end of two or three pages of back and forth, only the OP of which had a c-and-p in it, and that one may have been preceded by an original comment.
Not that it's my business, but why not share your own thoughts first on the subject... and if there is a relevant link direct us to it.
In my mind, cut and paste links can be found by anyone at any time. Knowing the thoughts of the user are almost as important and rude when missing.
I'm not trying to change your style, but personally I like to see some thought before I see someone else's thoughts and info on a subject.
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Phlabibit and FMF, sittin' in a tree!
K-I-S-S-I-N-G!