Cost-benefit analyses offend against the notion that life is priceless

THE AIRLESS nooks under a man’s foreskin are a cosy spot for microbes. These can inflame the surrounding skin, helping viruses such as HIV to spread. In places where the disease is common and treatment is patchy, removing foreskins can be a cost-effective way to fight it. In parts of Africa, the benefits of circumcising adolescents can outweigh the costs by about 10 to 1, according to the Copenhagen Consensus Centre (CCC), a think-tank. The ratio rises above 40 to 1 in the worst-hit countries.