Circumcision conflicts with children’s rights and doctors’ oath and can have serious long-term consequences, state an international group of 38 physicians from 16 European countries in Pediatrics today. They comment on the American Academy of Pediatrics’ new policy on infant male circumcision.

There are no compelling health arguments in favor of circumcision, while it can have serious long-term urological, psychological and sexual consequences. And performing medically unwarranted circumcision of underage boys conflicts with good medical practice. Male infant circumcision conflicts with children’s rights and the doctors’ oath not to do harm.



This is the main message of an international group of doctors in reaction to the policy of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), issued in August 2012, promoting non-therapeutic circumcision of boys. In an article in the scientific journal Pediatrics today, the authors comment on this policy and state that physicians and their professional organizations should discourage parents from having their healthy infant boys circumcised.

Among the authors are presidents and representatives of several national medical associations and societies of pediatricians and pediatric surgeons. The Dutch Urology Association (NVU), Pediatric Association (NVK) and surgeons (NVvH) also signed as authors of the article. Already in 2010, all relevant medical associations adopted the identical viewpoint of the Royal Dutch Medical Association (KNMG).

More info about the article:

Morten Frisch, Yves Aigrain, Vidmantas Barauskas, Ragnar Bjarnason, Su-Anna Boddy, Piotr Czauderna, Robert P.E. de Gier, Tom P.V.M. de Jong, Günter Fasching, Willem Fetter, Manfred Gahr, Christian Graugaard, Gorm Greisen, Anna Gunnarsdottir, Wolfram Hartmann, Petr Havranek, Rowena Hitchcock, Simon Huddart, Staffan Janson, Poul Jaszczak, Christoph Kupferschmid, Tuija Lahdes-Vasama, Harry Lindahl, Noni MacDonald, Trond Markestad, Matis Märtson, Solveig Marianne Nordhov, Heikki Pälve, Aigars Petersons, Feargal Quinn, Niels Qvist, Thrainn Rosmundsson, Harri Saxen, Olle Söder, Maximilian Stehr, Volker C.H. von Loewenich, Johan Wallander, Rene Wijnen. Cultural Bias in the AAP’s 2012 Technical Report and Policy Statement on Male Circumcision. Pediatrics 2013 131 (4) (PDF)

Artikel online (inloggen nodig): Cultural Bias in the AAP's 2012 Technical Report and Policy Statement on Male Circumcision.

More information about infant male circumcision

On 2 May 2018 medical ethicist Gert van Dijk was being interviewed in Dutch televion programma 'Nieuwsuur' about banning circumcision, prompted by the proposal in Iceland to make circumcision illegal for all children:

Subtitles by Simon ten Kate