Medical association position papers

This page contains the position papers and guidelines of medical associations worldwide.

• The Royal Australasian College of Physicians 2002 Position Statement.
 Routine Circumcision of Normal Male Infants and Boys - Summary Statement.
• The American Academy of Family Physicians 2002 Statement. Position Statement on Neonatal Circumcision.
• The American Academy of Pediatrics states: "Existing scientific evidence demonstrates potential medical benefits of newborn circumcision; however, these data are not sufficient to recommend routine neonatal circumcision."
• The American Cancer Society, states in a letter to the AAP: "We would like to discourage the American Academy of Pediatrics from promoting routine circumcision as a preventive measure for penile or cervical cancer... Perpetuating the mistaken belief that circumcision prevents cancer is inappropriate."
• The American Medical Association has joined all national medical organizations in NOT recomending routine circumcision.
• The Australasian Association of Paediatric Surgeons states, "It is considered to be inappropriate and unnecessary as a routine to remove the prepuce, based on the current evidence available."
• The Australian College of Paediatrics, citing the Australasian Association of Paediatric Surgeons, states: "Routine male circumcision should not be performed prior to 6 months of age." In addition, it considers that, "neonatal male circumcision has no medical indication. It is a traumatic procedure, performed without anaesthesia to remove a normal functional and protective prepuce."
• Summary of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: Circumcision Policy 2001
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists supports the current position of the American Academy of Pediatrics that finds the existing evidence insufficient to recommend routine neonatal circumcision. [Policy statement removed at the request of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. ]

• The British Medical Association Guidelines advise "The BMA opposes unnecessarily invasive procedures being used where alternative, less invasive techniques, are equally efficient and available."
• The Canadian Paediatric Society recommends: "Circumcision of newborns should not be routinely performed."

References

• References for the AAFP and the AAP that NOCIRC sent to the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American Academy of Pediatrics. The American Academy of Family Physicians is currently reviewing its position statement on circumcision while the American Academy of Pediatrics has recently concluded its review.