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Pediatricians Speak Out About Circumcision

By: Charlotte Ames
Updated: August 27, 2012
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The American Academy of Pediatrics has issued a new policy statement  on circumcision. It points to new scientific evidence, tying circumcision to a lower risk of  HIV, genital herpes, human papilloma virus and syphilis.

But the AAP says the benefits aren't great enough to recommend routine circumcision for all newborn boys. The risks include pain, infection, or minor scarring.

The academy says the decision should be made by parents and doctors.

Comments

The AAP are way out of line with other national medical organizations, and it's very disappointing that they say this: "Parents are entitled to factually correct, nonbiased information about circumcision" but they provide information that is both biased and highly selective. They simply don't seem to consider that the foreskin might actually be valuable. It's really easy to find circumcised doctors who are against circumcision, but surprisingly difficult to find male doctors in favor who weren't circumcised themselves as children. How strange that all the health benefits the AAP claim don't seem to exist in Europe, where almost no-one circumcises unless they're Jewish or Muslim. The AAP is the same organization that changed its policy on female cutting in 2010 btw saying "It might be more effective if federal and state laws enabled pediatricians to reach out to families by offering a ritual [clitoral] nick as a possible compromise to avoid greater harm." They were forced to retract this about six weeks later: Dr Diekema, the chair of the committee said "We're talking about something far less extensive than the removal of foreskin in a male". I suppose it's a good thing they didn't look at operating on girls to prevent breast cancer. 11% of women get breast cancer, and 3% die of it, so the health benefits to the girls would massively outweigh the risks. Meanwhile, other national health organizations including the Canadian Paediatric Society and the Dutch Medical Association continue to recommend *against* circumcising newborns.

Mark L. August 27, 2012 at 6:39 pm

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Healthcast
Charlotte Ames is the area's only local Health Reporter and brings you the latest medical health news weeknights.  You can catch Healthcast on WTAJ News at 5:00pm and her Health Headlines report on WTAJ News at 5:30pm.

If you have a Health related story that you would like to see on WTAJ News, please email Charlotte at cames@wtajtv.com.
 
 
 
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