According to a report in The New York Times, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is looking for ways to make circumcisions available to men who don't have health insurance. Community and gay rights advocacy groups have been asked to provide input regarding the issue.

Three studies conducted in Africa found that circumcision reduced the risk of HIV infection by up to 60 percent, prompting the UN to recommend the procedure for heterosexual men.

Male infants already are circumcised at a higher rate in the US than worldwide. About 65 percent of boy babies in the US are circumcised as opposed to just 30 percent globally, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.

Among the New York City population, black, Hispanic and foreign-born males reportedly are less likely than white men to be circumcised.

The issue is far from resolved, with calls for more research and discussion over the best way to address the issue specifically with respect to the needs of the New York City population.