Newswise — Concerned bioethicists and medical professionals, including faculty members from the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics, have sent a letter to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg supporting the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's proposed amendment to the city health code. The amendment would require written informed consent from parents before a circumcision could be performed that includes direct oral suction, a traditional orthodox Jewish practice.
A copy of the letter and signatories appears below, and may be reprinted or quoted:
Dear Mayor Bloomberg:
With regard the proposed amendment to the NYC Health Code to require informed consent for orogenital contact as part of ritual circumcision, please note that the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Task Force on Circumcision has stated: “The Task Force advises against the practice of mouth-to-penis contact during circumcision, which is part of some religious practices, because it poses serious infectious risk to the child."
Requiring informed consent for orogenital contact performed during ritual circumcision will help enable parents to make responsible choices to protect the well being of their infant children. The ethical duty to protect the interests of vulnerable infants and to support parents in making informed and responsible choices cannot be overridden. Please support the amendment to the NYC Health Code. Respectfully,
Margaret Moon, MD, MPHJohns Hopkins Berman Institute of BioethicsGeneral Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Johns Hopkins Medicine Yoram Unguru, MD, MSJohns Hopkins Berman Institute of BioethicsHerman and Walter Samuelson Children's Hospital at SinaiAdditional commentary on the amendment: http://bioethicsbulletin.org/archive/regulating-rites/
Arlene Butz, ScD, RN, CPNPGeneral Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Johns Hopkins Medicine
Dr. Anita Catlin, DNSc, FNP, FAANConsultant, Ethics and Research
Jacky Jennings, PDH, MPHJohns Hopkins Center for Child & Community Health ResearchGeneral Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Johns Hopkins Medicine
Daniel O’Connor, PhDJohns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics Alan Regenberg, MBeJohns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics
Erica Sibinga, MD, MHSGeneral Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Johns Hopkins Medicine
Barry Solomon, MD, MPHGeneral Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, Johns Hopkins Medicine
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Notice of proposed amendment: http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/downloads/pdf/notice/2012/amend-non-medical-circumcision.pdf
About the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of BioethicsOne of the largest centers of its kind in the world, the JohnsHopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics is the home for collaborative scholarship and teaching on the ethics of clinical practice, public health and biomedical science at Johns Hopkins University. Since 1995, the Institute has worked with governmental agencies, nongovernmental organizations and private sector organizations to address and resolve ethical issues. Institute faculty members represent such disciplines as medicine, nursing, law, philosophy, public health and the social sciences. Their work helps anticipate and inform debates on complex moral challenges, discern ethically acceptable alternatives in medical, scientific and public health policy and help to prepare the next generation of bioethicists. More information is available at www.bioethicsinstitute.org.
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