Innovative male circumcision device for HIV prevention receives World Health Organization prequalification

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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EngenderHealth
Theresa Kim
tkim@engenderhealth.org
Tel: 646-808-6446 FHI 360:
Natasha Abel
nabel@fhi360.org
Tel: 202.884.8018
Weill Cornell Medical College:
Sarah Smith
sas2072@med.cornell.edu
Tel: 646.317.7401

June 24, 2015 — Washington, DC — The ShangRing, a novel medical device for voluntary medical male circumcision, has received prequalification from the World Health Organization (WHO) for use. The prequalification indicates that the ShangRing meets international standards of safety and has the potential to rapidly increase access to the device in sub-Saharan Africa and other regions where the burden of HIV is highest. Conclusive clinical research demonstrates that circumcision can reduce male acquisition of HIV through vaginal intercourse by up to 60 percent.

“This is a major milestone toward improving access to voluntary medical male circumcision, which will help to prevent HIV acquisition in low-resource settings and contribute to the international efforts to achieve an AIDS-free generation,” said Mr. Shang Jianzhong, inventor and board chairman of Wuhu Snnda Medical Treatment Appliance Technology Co., Ltd.

In 2007, WHO and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) recommended that voluntary medical male circumcision be included in HIV prevention programs in southern and eastern Africa, countries with high rates of heterosexually transmitted HIV and low rates of male circumcision. While WHO prequalification does not replace national regulatory approvals, it acts as a guide for many national health agencies and enables procurement of the device by programs such as the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

The ShangRing is produced by Wuhu Snnda Medical Treatment Appliance Technology Co., Ltd of China. It consists of two concentric plastic rings that lock together over the foreskin. Unlike the conventional surgery, male circumcision with the ShangRing requires no sutures, involves minimal bleeding and is disposable. It is the first device prequalified by WHO for circumcision of both adults and adolescent boys ages 13 to 17 years.

“The ShangRing is very simple to use and reduces the time needed to perform male circumcision by about half, compared to conventional procedures,” says Jairus Oketch, Kenya Registered Community Health Nurse, Homa Bay District Hospital. “Expanded use of the device will enable countries to deliver safe, efficient, high-quality male circumcision to more people and thus reduce the spread of HIV.”

The ShangRing was assessed among more than 1,900 healthy adult men ages 18 years and older in five studies conducted in Kenya, Uganda and Zambia and among more than 350 adolescent males ages 13 to 17 years in Kenya and Uganda. The research in Kenya and Zambia was supported by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to FHI 360 and conducted in collaboration with EngenderHealth, FHI 360 and Weill Cornell Medical College. The partners were instrumental in clinical research, provider training, inspection of the manufacturing facility and coordination with WHO.

About Wuhu Snnda Medical Treatment Appliance Technology Co., Ltd.

Wuhu Snnda Medical Treatment Appliance Technology Co., Ltd., is a cooperatively managed enterprise that manufactures Class II medical devices in accordance with the level of medical products classification. It was founded in June 2006 and is located in the Wuhu State-level Economic & Technological Development Zone. Visit www.snnda.com for additional information.

About EngenderHealth

EngenderHealth is a leading global women’s health organization committed to ensuring that every pregnancy is planned, every child is wanted, and every mother has the best chance at survival. In 20 countries around the world, we train health care professionals and partner with governments and communities to make high-quality family planning and sexual and reproductive health services available—today and for generations to come. Visitwww.engenderhealth.org for more information.

About FHI 360

FHI 360 is a nonprofit human development organization dedicated to improving lives in lasting ways by advancing integrated, locally driven solutions. Our staff includes experts in health, education, nutrition, environment, economic development, civil society, gender, youth, research, technology, communication and social marketing — creating a unique mix of capabilities to address today’s interrelated development challenges. FHI 360 serves more than 70 countries and all U.S. states and territories. For more information, visitfhi360.org.

About Weill Cornell Medical College

Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University’s medical school located in New York City, is committed to excellence in research, teaching, patient care and the advancement of the art and science of medicine, locally, nationally and globally. Physicians and scientists of Weill Cornell Medical College are engaged in cutting-edge research from bench to bedside, aimed at unlocking mysteries of the human body in health and sickness and toward developing new treatments and prevention strategies. In its commitment to global health and education, Weill Cornell has a strong presence in places such as Qatar, Tanzania, Haiti, Brazil, Austria and Turkey. Through the historic Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, the Medical College is the first in the U.S. to offer its M.D. degree overseas. Weill Cornell is the birthplace of many medical advances — including the development of the Pap test for cervical cancer, the synthesis of penicillin, the first successful embryo-biopsy pregnancy and birth in the U.S., the first clinical trial of gene therapy for Parkinson’s disease, and most recently, the world’s first successful use of deep brain stimulation to treat a minimally conscious brain-injured patient. Weill Cornell Medical College is affiliated with NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, where its faculty provides comprehensive patient care at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. The Medical College is also affiliated with Houston Methodist. For more information, visit weill.cornell.edu.