Changes

[[Medical trade association| Medical organizations ]] in the various English speaking nations have found it appropriate to issue policy statements for the information of the medical community and the public. The Circumcision Reference Library has collected these official policy statements, both old and new, from the various English speaking nations. The medical societies of non-English speaking nations do not issue circumcision policy statements because neonatal male circumcision is not a practice of those countries. The older statements may not reflect current policy but are presented for reference purposes.

Medical organizations are political associations of doctors that have a duty to represent the interests of their doctor members, of whom some may profit by performing [[circumcision]]. The protection of the income and estates of the members may be given high priority. This duty to the members may in some instances prevent complete candor about the effects of non-therapeutic circumcision. Generally, the alleged prophylactic benefits of male circumcision are overstated while the risks, [[Complication| complications]], [[Trauma| certain injury]], and other drawbacks are understated. [[Human rights]], legal, and ethical issues are usually glossed over. The content of circumcision policy statements may also be influenced by religious and political considerations.