View source for Open letter to the CDC

On 17 January 2015, an anonymous physician who created the Facebook page [[The Activist MD]], wrote an open letter to the [[CDC]] which reads:

<blockquote>Here's my letter to the CDC regarding their pro-circ stance.  May they hear the voices of reason and realize that [[circumcision]] should in no way be considered appropriate preventive health care.

{{Citation
 |Title={{FULLPAGENAME}}
 |Text=As an American physician, I am extremely disappointed in these recommendations. My most important job as a physician is to protect the health and well-being of my community. [[Circumcision]] is a [[Circumcision risks|dangerous]], detrimental procedure that must end in our country, just as it has been shunned by other medically-advanced countries.

This statement considers the very modest [[Arguments pro circumcision|potential medical benefit]], while ignoring other important considerations. First of all, condoms and other safe sex practices will always be more effective and important than [[circumcision]] for prevention of [[Circumcision and STDs| sexually transmitted diseases]] and our efforts should be focused accordingly. To give one a false sense of security that [[circumcision]] fully prevents [[Circumcision and HIV|STIs/HIV]] would be a true disservice. We must also carefully interpret data regarding the [[circumcision]] for the prevention of any STI, as many studies have failed to show this correlation (PubMedID: 23710368<ref>{{REFjournal
 |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23710368/
 |title=Sexually transmitted infections and male circumcision: a systematic review and meta-analysis
 |last=Van Howe
 |first=Robert
 |init=RS
 |author-link=Robert S. Van Howe
 |date=2013-04-16
 |journal=ISRN Urol
 |pubmedID=23710368
 |pubmedCID=PMC3654279
 |DOI=10.1155/2013/109846
 |accessdate=2021-09-26
}}</ref>, 18280846<ref>{{REFjournal
 |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18280846/
 |title=Circumcision and risk of sexually transmitted infections in a birth cohort
 |journal=J Pediatr
 |date=2008-03
 |volume=152
 |issue=3
 |pages=383-7
 |last=Dickson
 |first=Nigel P.
 |init=NP
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 |last3=Herbison
 |first3=Peter
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 |first4=Charlotte
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 |pubmedID=18280846
 |DOI=10.1016/j.jpeds.2007.07.044
 |accessdate=2021-09-26
}}</ref>, 18043319<ref>{{REFjournal
 |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18043319/
 |title=Circumcision status and HIV infection among Black and Latino men who have sex with men in 3 US cities
 |journal=J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr
 |date=2007-12-15
 |volume=46
 |issue=5
 |pages=643-50
 |last=Millett
 |first=Gregorio A.
 |init=GA
 |last2=Ding
 |first2=Helen
 |init2=H
 |last3=Lauby
 |first3=Jennifer
 |init3=J
 |last4=Flores
 |first4=Stephen
 |init4=S
 |last5=Stueve
 |first5=Ann
 |init5=A
 |last6=Bingham
 |first6=Trista
 |init6=T
 |last7=Carballo-Dieguez
 |first7=Alex
 |init7=A
 |last8=Murrill
 |first8=Chris
 |init8=C
 |last9=Liu
 |first9=Kai-Lih
 |init9=KH
 |etal=yes
 |others=Darrell Wheeler, Adrian Liau, Gary Marks
 |pubmedID=18043319
 |DOI=10.1097/QAI.0b013e31815b834d
 |accessdate=2021-09-26
}}</ref>, 22320006<ref>{{BoyleGJ HillG 2011}}</ref>).

[[Circumcision]] is undeniably [[pain]]ful, to the degree that it appears to influence [[pain]] perception in the long-term (PMID: 15495086<ref>{{REFjournal
 |title=Pain relief for neonatal circumcision
 |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15495086/
 |last=Brady-Fryer
 |init=B
 |last2=N Wiebe
 |init2=N
 |last3=Lander
 |init3=JA
 |journal=Cochrane Database Syst Rev
 |date=2004-10-18
 |issue=4
 |page=CD004217
 |pubmedID=15495086
 |DOI=10.1002/14651858.CD004217.pub2
 |accessdate=2021-09-26
}}</ref>, 9057731<ref>{{TaddioA KatzJ IlersichAL KorenG 1997}}</ref>). [[Complication]]s from [[circumcision]] range from mild to fatal. I personally have seen several boys have problems with major [[bleeding]] after circumcision, and know of others that have had problems with [[infection]], [[Circumcision scar| scarring]], and additional damage to the penis. Other complications such as [[meatal stenosis]] are under-recognized (PMID: 20851685<ref>{{REFjournal
 |journal=J Pediatr Urol
 |date=2011-10
 |volume=7
 |issue=5
 |pages=526-8
 |title=Incidence of asymptomatic meatal stenosis in children following neonatal circumcision
 |last=Joudi
 |first=Marjan
 |init=M
 |last2=Fathi
 |first2=Mehdi
 |init2=M
 |last3=Hiradfar
 |first3=Mehran
 |init3=M
 |pubmedID=20851685
 |DOI=10.1016/j.jpurol.2010.08.005
 |accessdate=2021-09-26
}}</ref>). [[Circumcision]] also has [[Sexual effects of circumcision|long-term negative sexual effects]] on both male and female partners, which must be acknowledged (PMID: 21672947<ref>{{FrischM LindholmM GroenbaekM 2011}}</ref>, 10349418<ref>{{REFjournal
 |journal=BJU Int
 |date=1999-01
 |volume=83 Suppl 1
 |pages=79-84
 |title=The effect of male circumcision on the sexual enjoyment of the female partner
 |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10349418/
 |last=O'Hara
 |init=K
 |last2=O'Hara
 |init2=J
 |pubmedID=10349418
 |DOI=10.1046/j.1464-410x.1999.0830s1079.x
 |accessdate=2021-09-26
}}</ref>, 14581975<ref>{{REFjournal
 |journal=N Z Med J
 |date=2003-09-12
 |volume=116
 |issue=1181
 |page=U595
 |title=Effects of male circumcision on female arousal and orgasm
 |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14581975/
 |last=Bensley
 |first=Gillian A.
 |init=GA
 |last2=Boyle
 |first2=Gregory J.
 |init2=GJ
 |author2-link=Gregory J. Boyle
 |pubmedID=14581975
 |accessdate=2021-09-26
}}</ref>). These complications have important physical, emotional, and financial costs and should not be trivialized. Unfortunately, a comprehensive discussion of these [[Risks and complications|risks]] is not typically included during the [[informed consent]] process.

Finally, I am appalled that a reputable medical organization would condone the [[Routine Infant Circumcision|forced alteration of a child's genitals]], especially since girls have been appropriately been legally protected from this for many years now. Deciding how one's genitals appear and function is one of the most intimate decisions possible. I know literally hundreds of men who resent being [[circumcised]], many of which are plagued by [[Psychological issues of male circumcision|chronic problems from their circumcision]]. The only person to choose [[circumcision]] or any other cosmetic procedure should be the owner of that body. Physicians have no business performing [[pain| painful]], unnecessary procedures on non-consenting patients.
 |Author=[[The Activist MD]]
 |Source=Facebook
 |ref=<ref>{{REFweb
 |url=https://www.facebook.com/theactivistmd/posts/785625651474211
 |title={{FULLPAGENAME}}: Letter to the CDC
 |date=2015-01-17
 |accessdate=2021-09-26
}}</ref>
}}

{{SEEALSO}}
* [[CDC]]
* [[The Activist MD]]
* [[United States of America]]

{{REF}}

[[Category:Campaign]]
[[Circumcision debate‏‎]]
[[Category:Physician]]

[[Category:USA]]