World Medical Organizations Recognize Infant Circumcision Surgery as Senseless, Unethical, Damaging, and Harmful, but US MD's still 'out-of-control'

Medical societies and medical organizations in the world clearly affirm that infant circumcision surgery is medically contraindicated, non-therapeutic and involuntary, but the problem of this sexual mutilation continues out-of-control in the US since US MD's are ignorant about the lifelong functions and benefits of the male foreskin, since the entire US medical database on circumcision is corrupt, since US medical schools will not teach correct information on the functions and value of the male foreskin nor on the sexual, psychological and emotional damage it causes, since they lack ethics, since they make easy money from this perverse practice, and since this problem centers on a dark and troubling psychopathology. [Most male, US born MD's and most US born men are sexually mutilated-- each was cheated and wronged at the start of his life.]

National Organization of Circumcision Information Resource Centers
PO Box 2512, San Anselmo, CA 94979
www.NOCIRC.org
Tel: 415-488-9883
Fax: 415-488-9660

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ATTENTION: HEALTH EDITOR

National Medical Organizations Confirm Circumcision is not Medically Justified

San Anselmo, CA ­ Last week, the Royal Australasian College of Physicians
(RACP), along with six other Australasian medical associations, published its
new circumcision policy statement concluding, "After extensive review of the
literature the RACP reaffirms that **there is no medical indication for routine
male circumcision**." (Emphasis theirs.)

"It is time for American physicians to follow this lead and reject routine male
circumcision," said Los Angeles pediatrician Paul Fleiss, M.D. "There are
absolutely no scientific medical reasons for this procedure to continue parading
as standard medical care in the USA."

"While a handful of American and Canadian circumcision advocates have gotten
recent media attention by promoting circumcision to prevent cervical cancer or
HIV, this new statement takes into account all recent studies and declares
there is no reason to circumcise," said Marilyn Milos, RN, director of the
National Organization of Circumcision Information Resource Centers
(NOCIRC). "It is increasingly obvious that a medical fringe element is working
to promote circumcision for no other reason than boosting their careers or their
pocketbooks. What is abhorrent to me is that reasonable people are taking
harmful advice."

"Physicians have known for years that neither male nor female circumcision
could be justified on medical grounds. In both cases it is done for social
reasons, not medical need," stated Dr. George Denniston, MD, MPH, president
of Doctors Opposing Circumcision. "In the US, we no longer circumcise girls,
but boys are still unprotected. Perhaps other countries will have to take the lead
away from this outmoded, harmful practice.

Milos said, "When there is no evidence that potential benefits exceed the known
risks and harm of an operation, good medical practice dictates that the
operation not be done. The RACP statement says there are no medical
indications for circumcision. Therefore, any continued practice of routinely
circumcising baby boys is not only medically unnecessary, but also unethical
and, perhaps, criminal."

The policy statement was adopted by six other Australian and New Zealand
medical organizations, including the Australasian Association of Paediatric
Surgeons, New Zealand Society of Paediatric Surgeons, Royal Australasian
College of Surgeons, and Urological Society of Australasia. The new policy
statement observed there have been increasing claims over recent years of
health benefits from routine male circumcision at a time when the rest of the
western world was eliminating the procedure. The most egregious of these
claims are urinary tract infections, HIV, and penile cancer. This thorough
review of all literature showed these claims cannot be medically substantiated.

The RACP statement says, "The complication rate of neonatal circumcision is
reported to be around 1% to 5% and includes local infection, bleeding, and
damage to the penis. Serious complications such as bleeding, septicemia, and
meningitis may occasionally cause death."
NOCIRC claims the complication rate is 100%, calling it ‘male genital
mutilation because the boy is denied a fully functioning penis.

Other national medical associations, including the American Cancer Society,
American Medical Association, and American Academy of Pediatrics, also have
circumcision policy statements that find there is no medical justification for
routine infant circumcision. Irresponsibly, they leave the decision to parents
who are often misinformed. In the US, infant circumcision is the only surgery
prescribed by parents.

The American medical associations did not reply when invited to comment on
the RACPs new policy statement.

"Parents must be informed they are mutilating their sons," said Fleiss, and
that they are not preventing or treating any disease by having the foreskin
removed in the first few days of life. The foreskin is necessary for full sexual
enjoyment and helps protect this vital purpose throughout life. It should be left
alone. Babies have a need to be loved and protected, and I look forward to the
day when the agonizing cry of a newborn male being circumcised is no longer
heard anywhere in the USA."

The male circumcision rate in the USA is under 60%, down from a high of 85%
in 1979. Most European, Asian, and Latin American countries have a near zero
circumcision rate. Female circumcision has been outlawed in the western world
since at least 1996.

-xxx-

Read the entire policy statement at:
http://www.racp.edu.au/hpu/paed/circumcision/

Contact:

• Marilyn Milos, NOCIRC, 415-488-9883 (founded NOCIRC)
• Dr. Paul Fleiss, fleiss@hsc.usc.edu (author of two Mothering magazine
circumcision articles)

• Dr. George Denniston, gcd@u.washington.edu, 813-657-9404