Changes

In 1997, the ''NEJM'' printed a strongly pro-circumcision editorial by Dr. [[Thomas E. Wiswell| Thomas Wiswell]],<ref name>{{REFjournal |last="wiswell1997">Wiswell TE |first=T.E. |title=Circumcision circumspection. '' |journal=N Engl J Med'' |date=1997; |volume=336: |pages=1244-5.1245}}</ref> but did not print the alternative opinion in favor of normal anatomy (see Abstracts & Analysis). When misinformation in Wiswell's editorial was brought to the attention of the editor, there was no attempt to correct Wiswell's exaggerated benefit claims. In contrast, the ''NEJM'' had printed a Sounding Board discussion of circumcision examining the purported advantages and disadvantages of circumcision earlier in 1990.<ref name>{{REFjournal |last="schoen1990">Schoen EJ |first=E.J. |title=The status of circumcision of newborns. '' |journal=N Engl J Med'' |date=1990; |volume=322: |pages=1308-12.1312}}</ref> <ref>{{REFjournal |last=Poland RL |first=R.L. [ |title=The question of routine neonatal circumcision |url=http://www.cirp.org/library/general/poland/ The question of routine neonatal circumcision]. '' |journal=N Engl J Med''. |date=1990; |volume=322: |pages=1312-5.1315}}</ref>

In a previous article in the ''NEJM'', Royce ''et al.''. insinuated that the prepuce may be a risk factor for HIV infections.<ref name>{{REFjournal |last="royce1997">Royce RA, |first=R.A. |last2=Sena |first2=A, . |last3=Cates Jr |first3=W Jr, . |last4=Cohen MS |first4=M. S. |title=Sexual transmission of HIV. '' |journal=N Engl J Med'' |date=1997; |volume=336: |pages=1072-8.1078}}</ref> This factually inaccurate article was referenced in a letter to the editor as proof that circumcision protects an individual from HIV infections.<ref name="laumann1997Laumann1997">{{REFjournal |last=Laumann EO, |first=E.O. |last2=Masi CM, |first2=C.M. |last3=Zuckerman EW |first3=E. [http://wwwW.cirp.org/library/general/laumann/ |title=Circumcision in the United States: prevalence, prophylactic effects, and sexual practices, and sexual practice] |url=http://www.cirp. ''org/library/general/laumann/ |journal=JAMA'' |date=1997; |volume=277: |pages=1052-7.1057}}</ref> The ''NEJM'' failed to mention, however, that Laumann pointed out the fallacy of this logic. "The lack of rigorous, systematic controls for co-factors relevant to the particularities of the African context, the prophylactic status of the presence or absence of the foreskin remains an open question."<ref name="laumann1997Laumann1997" />

Circumcision is losing popularity in the United States and has been discredited by the Canadian Pediatric Society<ref>{{REFjournal |last=Fetus and Newborn Committee, Canadian Paediatric Society. [ |title=Neonatal circumcision revisited |url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1487803/ Neonatal circumcision revisited]. '' |journal=Can Med Assoc J'' |date=1996; |volume=154: |pages=769-80.780}}</ref>and the Australasian Pediatric Surgeons<ref>{{REFweb |publisher=Australasian Association of Paediatric Surgeons. [ |title=Guidelines for circumcision |url=http://www.cirp.org/library/statements/aaps/ Guidelines for circumcision]. April |date=1996.-04}}</ref> in 1996 position papers. Taylor described the unique innervation of the preputial mucosa in 1996, and its loss to circumcision.<ref>{{REFjournal |last=Taylor JR, |first=J.R. |last2=Lockwood AP, |first2=A.P. |last3=Taylor AJ |first3=A. [J. |title=The prepuce: specialized mucosa of the penis and its loss to circumcision |url=http://www.cirp.org/library/anatomy/taylor/ The prepuce: specialized mucosa of the penis and its loss to circumcision]. '' |journal=Br J Urol'' |date=1996; |volume=77: |pages=291-95.295}}</ref> Taddio et al. showed that circumcision with and without local anesthesia (EMLA) resulted in negative behavioral changes in a child's response to pain.<ref name="taddio1997"Taddio1997>{{REFjournal |last=Taddio |first=A, . |last2=Katz |first2=J, . |last3=Ilersich AL, |first3=A.L. |last4=Koren |first4=G. [ |title=Effect of neonatal circumcision on pain response during subsequent routine vaccination |url=http://www.cirp.org/library/pain/taddio2/ Effect of neonatal circumcision on pain response during subsequent routine vaccination]. '' |journal=Lancet'' |date=1997; |volume=349: |pages=599-603.}}</ref> Laumann has shown that circumcision causes sexual behavior changes and an apparent increased risk of many venereal diseases in adult men.<ref name="laumann1997Laumann1997"/> Price has questioned whether parents can ethically change their child's genitalia.<ref>Price (Bull. Medical Ethics).</ref>

The research on EMLA and circumcision presented by Taddio ''et al.''. was proclaimed as a major advance.<ref>{{REFjournal |last=Taddio |first=A, . |last2=Stevens |first2=B, . |last3=Craig |first3=K, . |last4=Rastogi |first4=P, . |last5=Ben-David |first5=S, . |last6=Shennan |first6=A, . |last7=Mulligan |first7=P, . |last8=Koren |first8=G. |title=Efficacy and safety of lidocaine-prilocaine cream for pain during circumcision. '' |journal=N Engl J Med'' |date=1997; |volume=336: |pages=1197-1201.}}</ref> When the limitations of this form of local anesthesia was brought to the attention of the editors, they failed to print the criticism (see Abstracts & Analysis). They failed to point out that this form of local anesthesia (EMLA) did not prevent the long term negative behavioral response to pain previously reported in the ''Lancet''. <ref name="taddio1997" Taddio1997/> The lack of effects of EMLA on long term negative behavioral changes caused by circumcision was printed in British medical journals.<ref name="taddio1997" Taddio1997/><ref name>{{REFjournal |last="taddio1995">Taddio |first=A, . |last2=Goldbach |first2=M, . |last3=Ipp |first3=M, . |last4=Stevens |first4=B, . |last5=Koren |first5=G. [ |title=Effect of neonatal circumcision on pain responses during vaccination in boys |url=http://www.cirp.org/library/pain/taddio/ Effect of neonatal circumcision on pain responses during vaccination in boys]. '' |journal=Lancet'' |date=1995; |volume=345: |pages=291-2.292}}</ref>