Questions have recently been raised regarding the continued acceptability of neonatal circumcision. A death in one province and a policy decision against such in another have resulted in the Council reviewing this issue. Based on information currently available, Council feels that physicians should continue to be guided by prevailing medical standards, best illustrated by the Canadian Pediatric Society, which concludes:
The overall evidence of the benefits and harms of circumcision is so evenly balanced it does not support recommending circumcision as a routine procedure for newborns. When parents are making a decision about circumcision, they should be advised of the present state of medical knowledge about its benefits and harms. The decision may ultimately be based on personal, religious, or cultural factors.
11/02
