Circumcision practical ethics pdf

Circumcision is usually performed as a shortstay procedure under local or general anaesthetic the entire foreskin is removed to leave the head of the penis exposed as well as looking different, your penis may feel different at first after the procedure absorbable stitches. Circumcision ethics and economics psychology today. Multiculturalism, religious freedom, the limits of. In this article, i call into question the moral and empirical basis for such a distinction, and argue that all children whether female, male, or indeed intersex should be free from having parts of their genitals removed unless there is a. Is the nontherapeutic circumcision of infant males morally permissible. I conclude that circumcision before an age of consent is not an appropriate healthpromotion strategy. However, these benefits are not sufficient for the. In this brief report, i highlight a few of the key scientific and ethical. The first edition of the novel was published in 1979, and was written by peter singer. In the case of circumcision, in particular originally a ritual practice with a.

The body of beliefs that concern how we ought to conduct our lives and, in particular, our beliefs about right and wrong actions, good and bad states of affairs, and virtuous and vicious characters. In response, medical authorities from europe and canada argued that the aap report. Does female genital mutilation have health benefits. Much of the contemporary debate about the propriety of nontherapeutic circumcision of male infants and boys revolves around the question of risks vs. Female circumcision and ethics the female circumcision practices are found to be followed by a number of regions and tribes in the world where this practice is considered to purify and provide health benefits to the females of that particular society. Another author suggested female circumcision to treat a. One could say that circumcision, in a sense, was the.

Mar 05, 2018 a similar conclusion was reached by the nordic ombudsmen for children and paediatric experts, who in 20 issued a joint statement to the effect that nontherapeutic, nonconsensual male circumcision violated important human rights as well as foundational principles of medical ethics, not least because the procedure is irreversible, painful. For spenst hansen, the moral concerns are the only concerns. It includes for instance social and political ethics, computer ethics, medical ethics, bioethics, environmental ethics, business ethics, and it also relates to different forms of professional ethics. Symbolic harm is a tricky issue because it can either be dismissed, in which. Mar 18, 2015 the centers for disease control and prevention cdc have announced a set of provisional guidelines concerning male circumcision, in which they suggest that the benefits of the surgery outweigh the risks. It is mentioned in the bible in multiple different books, and it is still executed in medical facilities all over the world today. The norwegian council for medical ethics has determined that the circumcision of male children is an unethical procedure because of human rights concerns and lack of consent by the patient. Male circumcision is defined as the partial or total surgical removal of the foreskin also called prepuce, which is specialized tissue that covers the head or glans of the penis.

Pdf the ethics of infant male circumcision brian d. The centers for disease control and prevention cdc have announced a set of provisional guidelines concerning male circumcision, in which they suggest that the benefits of the surgery outweigh the risks. Circumcision is often claimed to be simpler, safer and more cost. In 2012, the american academy of pediatrics aap updated its policy on infant male circumcision, arguing that the benefits of the procedure outweigh the risks. Circumcision ethics and economics lets face reality and abandon the harmful practice. The guide is complemented by the male circumcision services quality assessment tool kit, a practical set of tools for assisting facility managers and providers to assess their own performance and the quality of care provided and to define gaps that exist in the provision of male circumcision services. Nicomachean ethics aristotle mcmaster faculty of social.

Female circumcision is a phrase that loosely refers to three related but distinct practices. Contemporary medical ethics requires that anesthesiaanalgesia be provided for painful procedures on children. For a small country, iceland has had a big impact on global media coverage recently, following its proposed ban on male circumcision before an age of consent. The ethics of infant male circumcision journal of medical. Circumcision was not merely a sign of the covenant. Circumcision is the surgical removal of the foreskin, which is the skin covering the tip of the penis. View enhanced pdf access article on wiley online library html view. Position statement male infant circumcision pain management. Pdf analysis of healthcare ethics principles as applied to. The most recent major development in this longsimmering debate was the 2012 release of a policy statement and technical report on circumcision by the american academy of pediatrics aap. Practically speaking, since this is a practical ethics blog, mgm is a million times larger and more salient problem then mbp. The journal of medical ethics is pleased to announce the forthcoming release of a special issue, the ethics of male circumcision to be published in full in the coming days.

Ethics and female circumcision research paper 2307 words. From its 1971 manual, to the 1975 and 1983 revisions. Male circumcision is defined as partial or complete surgical removal of the foreskin prepuce of the penis. Infant circumcision has recently attracted controversy, with professional groups recommending it and various individuals trying to criminalize it. A similar conclusion was reached by the nordic ombudsmen for children and paediatric experts, who in 20 issued a joint statement to the effect that nontherapeutic, nonconsensual male circumcision violated important human rights as well as foundational principles of medical ethics, not least because the procedure is irreversible, painful. Children and young people ethics toolkit legal and ethical factors doctors need to consider when making decisions about children and young people such as consent, refusal of treatment and confidentiality. As recently as 1973, female circumcision was suggested in a medical journal as a treatment for frigidity.

Scientific studies show some medical benefits of circumcision. With its headline conclusion that the benefits outweigh the. The guide is complemented by the male circumcision quality assessment toolkit, a practical set of tools for assisting facility managers and providers to assess their own performance and the quality of care provided and to define gaps that exist in the provision of male circumcision services. The american society for pain management nursing aspmn holds the position that nurses and other healthcare professionals must provide optimal pain management throughout the circumcision process for male infants. View that routine male infant circumcision is not ethical view that routine male infant circumcision is ethical. Neglected factors in the current debate on nontherapeutic circumcision abstract. Circumcision is beneficial in the prevention of certain diseases, causing minimal tangible harm to those circumcised. A brief overview of the issues a publication of doctors opposing circumcision. Circumcision, autonomy and public health public health. Male circumcision is the surgical removal of the foreskin prepuce from the human penis. Pdf female genital mutilation fgm and male circumcision. Defenders of religiously or culturally motivated circumcision sometimes stress that it is an ancient tradition, stretching back thousands of years. The ethics of nontherapeutic circumcision being imposed on unconsenting minors babies and children has been a source of ongoing controversy some medical associations take the position that the parents should determine what is in the best interest of the infant or child. Who manual for male circumcision under local anaesthesia.

The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 411 pages and is available in paperback format. Nontherapeutic circumcision of children fails to meet the standards of modern medical ethics. Circumcision of male babies and children at the request of their parents is an increasingly controversial area and strongly opposing views about circumcision are found within society and within the bmas membership. It is sometimes argued that the nontherapeutic, nonconsensual alteration of childrens genitals should be discussed in two separate ethical discourses. The risk an individual faces who have not been circumcised can actually be quite serious. Feb 04, 2016 male circumcision is defined as partial or complete surgical removal of the foreskin prepuce of the penis. This is the first time the us government has prosecuted an fgm case since a federal law was passed in 1996. Circumcision is usually performed as a shortstay procedure under local or general anaesthetic the entire foreskin is removed to leave the head of the penis exposed as well as looking different, your penis may feel different at first after the procedure absorbable stitches are used which disappear after two to three weeks. Free download or read online practical ethics pdf epub book. Living with ethics i have lived trying to puzzle out what it means to live a good life in the real world. Aug 15, 2017 four members of the dawoodi bohra sect of islam living in detroit, michigan have recently been indicted on charges of female genital mutilation fgm. Circumcision, as the mark of the old covenant, never guaranteed that the israelites would rejoice by faith in gods special ownership of them, but the sign pointed to their need for their hearts to be set apart to love him deut. The committee on medical ethics of the british medical association 2003 published a paper to guide doctors on the law and ethics of circumcision. I find it odd that you chose metzitzah bpeh mbp as your example.

Pdf the ethics of circumcision of male infants researchgate. The need for circumcision in the heart is the plain teaching of todays passage. Uehiro centre for practical ethics, university of oxford, oxford, uk. Male circumcisionpartial or total removal of the penile prepucehas been proposed as a public health measure in subsaharan africa, based on the results of three randomized control trials rcts showing a relative risk reduction of approximately 60 per cent for voluntary, adult male circumcision against femaletomale human immunodeficiency virus hiv transmission in that context. One of the roles of the british medical association bma is to issue guidance to doctors on ethical and medicolegal issues. The main characters of this philosophy, non fiction story are.

We summarize the main points from these papers below to show their diverse views on circumcision and ethics. The practice of circumcision has ancient origins, and continues today around the world for various religious and cultural reasons. One of the bmas roles is to issue guidance to doctors on ethical and medicolegal issues. Practical ethics, suite 8, littlegate house, st ebbes. Neonatal and child male circumcision world health organization. Nontherapeutic male circumcision toolkit doctors may be asked to refer a child for, or to carry out, nontherapeutic male circumcision ntmc. In these documents, the us paediatricians organisation claimed that the potential health benefits of infant circumcision now. Infant circumcision has recently attracted controversy with professional groups recommending it and various individuals trying to criminalize it. Pdf infant circumcision has recently attracted controversy with professional groups recommending it. Anticircumcision activists have attacked the procedure for reasons rooted in medicine, sociology, finance and ethics.

Male circumcision violates human rights conatus news. Male circumcision partial or total removal of the penile prepucehas been proposed as a public health measure in subsaharan africa, based on the results of three randomized control trials rcts showing a relative risk reduction of approximately 60 per cent for voluntary, adult male circumcision against femaletomale human immunodeficiency virus hiv transmission in that. Accordingly, this guidance addresses the queries medical practitioners raise with the bma about both therapeutic and nontherapeutic 1 male circumcision. Parents must be prepared for the procedure and educated. Its common in the united states and parts of africa and the middle east but less common in. I dont want to make the medical or cultural arguments, he said in an attempt to identify the core of his convictions. Accordingly, infant circumcision fails to meet the ethical requirement of beneficence. Child circumcision was introduced into medical practice, on spurious scientific grounds, in the nineteenth century. The medical evidence about its health impact is equivocal. Female genital mutilation fgm and male circumcision.

So ive spent most of my life working with ordinary people trying to cope as best they can in a world that often doesnt stress ethics. Pdf practical ethics book by peter singer free download. Nontherapeutic circumcision of minors as an ethically problematic. You want someone who helps in a practical way, not in an academic fashion. The journal of medical ethics is pleased to announce the forthcoming release of a special issue, the ethics of male circumcision. Given this, some have concluded that the circumcision decision should rest with the parents. The word circumcision comes from the latin circumcidere meaning to cut around. Opponents cite jewish sources that contest it, implying that the procedure is not as. Do the benefits of male circumcision outweigh the risks. Nicomachean ethics 5 good judge of that subject, and the man who has received an allround education is a good judge in general. Another author suggested female circumcision to treat a nonretractable clitoral hood. Cdcs male circumcision recommendations represent a key.

The world is watching to see how the case turns out. The first is whether religions that practice infant circumcision actually require it. The obvious and perfect comparison to fgm for this argument is male genital mutilation mgm, euphemistically known as circumcision. By doing so they seem to suggest that the sheer antiquity of the practice. Male circumcision is provided with full adherence to medical ethics and human. Commonly, the aversion to male circumcision is the thought of hurting a very small child. Pdf is the nontherapeutic circumcision of infant males morally permissible. By doing so they seem to suggest that the sheer antiquity of the practice implies a kind of venerability, or even sanctitude. Jan 18, 2010 male circumcision is not the only genital surgery that has been defended with claims of potential benefits. Accordingly, this guidance addresses the queries medical practitioners raise with the bma about both therapeutic and nontherapeutic1 male circumcision. Who, unaids and jhpiego manual on male circumcision under local.

In the first part of this paper, we critically examine the evidence base for these claims, and. Apr 22, 2018 a version of this article is also published on the practical ethics blog. The first, as the term suggests, is the removal of the clitoris shandaal, 1967, the second usually involves. An ethical evaluation of the practice of nontherapeutic. Applied ethics is a growing, interdisciplinary field dealing with ethical problems in different areas of society. However, whether this procedure is done for religious purposes or its medical benefits, many people question how ethical the process. Editorial the ethics of infant male circumcision day ritual circumcision not only. Male circumcision is not the only genital surgery that has been defended with claims of potential benefits. This article argues that gov ernment should affirmatively adopt policies tolerating. Mar 18, 2015 uehiro centre for practical ethics, university of oxford, oxford, uk. Hence a young man is not a proper hearer of lectures on political science. This entry provides some information about the rich history of male circumcision, distinguishes between four clusters of reasons for male circumcision, and discusses shortly the differences and commonalities between male and female circumcision. Male circumcision is a procedure that has been conducted for thousands of years.

Uehiro centre for practical ethics, university of oxford, oxford, uk institute, usa marie fox, university of birmingham, to ethical issues surrounding autonomy and bodily integrity. Mar 18, 20 the ethics of male circumcision by brian d. The practice of circumcision in the male refers to the surgical removal of the foreskin of the penis. May 29, 2017 usually, if circumcision is not completed as an infant, the delay puts the childs health at risk and will usually mean it will never happen firger. It advises medical doctors to proceed on a case by case basis to determine the best interests of the child before deciding to perform a circumcision. Pdf the ethics of infant male circumcision researchgate. The ethics of circumcision of male infants stony brook university. Routine circumcision is now banned in public hospitals in australia. Examining in detail considerations of medical ethics, consent and human rights, i will. Nontherapeutic circumcision of minors as an ethically. Information for parents circumcision is a surgical procedure in which the skin covering the end of the penis is removed. Medieval fresco of the circumcision of jesus by the priest zacharias, a biblical narrative in tingsted church, denmark shutterstock. Less commonly, circumcision is sometimes done for healthrelated reasons. Seattle, washington circumcision is an ancient cultural imposition on males that was adapted as a surgical operation in the englishspeaking countries only during the puritanical period of 19th.

One explanation is religiosity, since the practice has historically been followed out of a sense of devout duty in islamic, christian and jewish communities, although nothing in the sacred texts or doctrines of these religions mandates it, unlike male circumcision in islam. Medical ethics scholar akim mcmath states that, in the case of circumcision, people disagree over what constitutes a harm and what constitutes a benefit. Ethics the law and ethics of male circumcision guidance for doctors june 2006 summary of good practice circumcision for medical purposes nontherapeutic circumcision the law consent and refusal best interests health issues standards facilities charging patients conscientious objection. The 2018 manual for male circumcision under local anaesthesia and hiv prevention services for adolescent boys and men aims to support male circumcision clinics and providers in providing highquality services and reducing the risk of adverse events to as low a level as possible.