title: Veracity and rhetoric in paediatric medicine: a critique of Svoboda and Van Howe's response to the AAP policy on infant male circumcision.
abstract: In a recent issue of the Journal of Medical Ethics,Svoboda and Van Howe commented on the 2012 changein the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) policy on newborn male circumcision, in which the AAP stated that benefits of the procedure outweigh the risks. Svoboda and Van Howe disagree with the AAP conclusions. We show here that their arguments against male circumcision are based on a poor understanding of epidemiology,erroneous interpretation of the evidence, selective citation of the literature, statistical manipulation of data, and circular reasoning. In reality, the scientific evidence indicates that male circumcision, especially when performed in the newborn period, is an ethically and medically sound low-risk preventive health procedure conferring a lifetime of benefits to health and well-being.Policies in support of parent-approved elective newborn circumcision should be embraced by the medical,scientific and wider communities.
authors: Brian J
authors: BJ
authors: Morris
authors: Aaron A R
authors: AA
authors: Tobian
authors: Catherine A
authors: CA
authors: Hankins
authors: Jeffrey D
authors: JD
authors: Klausner
authors: Joya
authors: J
authors: Banerjee
authors: Stefan A
authors: SA
authors: Bailis
authors: Stephen
authors: S
authors: Moses
authors: Thomas E
authors: TE
authors: Wiswell
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002944:Circumcision, Male / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D016134:Organizational Policy; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000941:ethics*; D010409:Penile Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D011634:Public Health / Q000941:ethics; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D012955:Societies, Medical; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000517:prevention & control