Between Prophylaxis and Child Abuse: The Ethics of Neonatal Male Circumcision

@article{Benatar2003BetweenPA,
  title={Between Prophylaxis and Child Abuse: The Ethics of Neonatal Male Circumcision},
  author={Michael Benatar and David Benatar},
  journal={The American Journal of Bioethics},
  year={2003},
  volume={3},
  pages={35 - 48}
}
Opinion about neonatal male circumcision is deeply divided. Some take it to be a prophylactic measure with unequivocal and significant health benefits, while others consider it a form of child abuse. We argue against both these polar views. In doing so, we discuss whether circumcision constitutes bodily mutilation, whether the absence of the child's informed consent makes it wrong, the nature and strength of the evidence regarding medical harms and benefits, and what moral weight cultural… Expand
View on Taylor & Francis
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
127 Citations
Highly Influential Citations
2
Background Citations
32
Methods Citations
1
Results Citations
2

127 Citations

Citation Type

Citation Type

Neonatal Male Circumcision: Ethical Issues and Physician Responsibility
TLDR
It is reasonable to wait for the infant to grow, develop his own set of values, and ultimately decide on whether to pursue the option of circumcision, and at this later date it might be permissible for medical doctors to partake in circumcision procedures. Expand
Cutting History, Cutting Culture: Female Circumcision in the United States
TLDR
Doctors who come to the opposite conclusion should conscientiously refuse to perform the procedure, even when it is requested by parents. Expand
Newborn Male Circumcision with Parental Consent, as Stated in the AAP Circumcision Policy Statement, Is Both Legal and Ethical
  • M. Brady
  • Medicine
  • Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics
  • 2016
TLDR
The CDC and the AAP believe that parents should be allowed to make the decision concerning circumcision of their male infants after receiving non-biased information on health risks and health benefits. Expand
Neonatal circumcision – violation of children’s rights or public health necessity?
TLDR
The article concludes that the rights of neonates to bodily integrity should not be tampered with lightly, and that only a severe public health hazard such as the HIV/AIDS pandemic may justify incursion into this constitutionally protected right. Expand
Male circumcision: a scientific perspective
  • R. Short
  • Medicine
  • Journal of Medical Ethics
  • 2004
TLDR
In this issue, John Hutson has reiterated the conventional Western medical view that “the surgical argument for circumcision of all neonatal males at present is very weak” and he criticises many of the circumcisions performed in later childhood, without anaesthesia, as “physically cruel and potentially dangerous”. Expand
Short Changed? the Law and Ethics of Male Circumcision
Routine neonatal male circumcision has failed to excite medico-legal attention. This chapter focuses on the related failure to engage in a full cost/benefit analysis of the practice and the harm it… Expand
Male Circumcision and the Rights of the Child 1
TLDR
This paper examines guidance on male circumcision issued by professional medical associations in countries which share a similar tradition of circumcision to the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand and adopts a more progressive and less tolerant approach to the issue of elective neonatal circumcision. Expand
Routine (Non-Religious) Neonatal Circumcision and Bodily Integrity: A Transatlantic Dialogue
  • W. Dekkers
  • Psychology, Medicine
  • Kennedy Institute of Ethics journal
  • 2009
TLDR
The practice of RNC is questionable from a variety of viewpoints including not only the ideal of evidence-based medicine and human rights considerations, but also the notion of respect for bodily integrity. Expand
Male Circumcision, Religious Preferences, and the Question of Harm
  • M. Sheldon
  • Psychology, Medicine
  • The American journal of bioethics : AJOB
  • 2003
TLDR
It is proposed that, arst, the choice of whether to circumcise a male child is an acceptable choice and a choice appropriately left to parental prerogatives, and, second, that the participation of the physician is permissible as well. Expand
Ethical challenges of female genital mutilation and of male circumcision
This article is about the ethical challenges related to female genital mutilation and male circumcision, by showing similarities and differences. Male circumcision is a medical procedure to some… Expand
...
1
2
3
4
5
...

References

SHOWING 1-10 OF 94 REFERENCES
Male and female circumcision : medical, legal, and ethical considerations in pediatric practice
TLDR
The Anatomy, Physiology and Histology of the Human Prepuce and Current Research on Circumcision and Phimosis, and Foreskin Restoration: Historical and Contemporary Considerations. Expand
Does circumcision influence sexually transmitted diseases?: A literature review
TLDR
In the present review the medical literature is examined to determine what influence if any circumcision has on STDs. Expand
The status of circumcision of newborns.
  • E. Schoen
  • Medicine
  • The New England journal of medicine
  • 1990
From the early 1940s until the mid-1970s, circumcision of newborn boys was accepted in the United States as a simple procedure that promoted hygiene and prevented genital disease. Educated… Expand
Respect in the Context of Infant Male Circumcision
As you are almost certainly aware, human cloning is a major scientific, ethical, and legal issue at present. In fact, it may well prove to be the major “science fiction turned science fact” event of… Expand
Male circumcision: assessment of health benefits and risks.
TLDR
A decision as to whether to recommend male circumcision in a given society should be based upon an assessment of the risk for and occurrence of the diseases which are associated with the presence of the foreskin, versus the risk of the complications of the procedure. Expand
Neonatal circumcision revisited. Fetus and Newborn Committee, Canadian Paediatric Society.
  • Medicine
  • CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne
  • 1996
TLDR
Circumcision of newborns should not be routinely performed and this recommendation is in keeping with previous statements on neonatal circumcision by the Canadian Paediatric Society and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Expand
The Highly Protective Effect of Newborn Circumcision Against Invasive Penile Cancer
TLDR
The results confirm the highly protective effect of newborn circumcision against IPC and the less protective effect against CIS. Expand
New Policy on Circumcision—Cause for Concern
TLDR
The negative conclusions on newborn circumcision drawn by the recent American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Task Force on Circumcision are misleading and contrary to the current medical evidence. Expand
Report of the Task Force on Circumcision
TLDR
Newborn circumcision has potential medical benefits and advantages as well as disadvantages and risks and the benefits and risks should be explained to the parents and informed consent obtained. Expand
Tyranny of the Victims
TLDR
Under discussion here are those neonatally circumcised males who are driven to the extreme position of advocating that all males should be circumcised, and this form of compulsion should be of concern to all. Expand
...
1
2
3
4
5
...