Parental wishes are not the determining factor [for child circumcision]

BMA News Review (London). Saturday, 12 September 1998.

Note:

Letter in response to article entitled Suffer little children? by Mr Nigel Zoltie, MB, ChB, FRCS(Eng), FFAEM, MAE, MEWI, which appeared in the BMA News Review on 8 August 1998. Mr Zoltie is chair of theAssociation of Reform and Liberal Mohelim.

Nigel Zoltie makes a valuable contribution to the debate about whether circumcision should be allowed, and whether doctors should participate, but incorrectlystates that parents have ultimate decision-making powers.

Decisions like this are inseparable from decisions about what is best for the child. Whatever treatments doctors provide for children must be in their best interests.

But assessment of best interests is not based only on what parents want for their children. Parental responsibility only gives the right to do what is reasonable to promote the welfare of the child.

The BMA ethics committee is writing a book for doctors on consent to and refusal of treatment that will give clear guidelines on these issues.

Citation:

Parental wishes are not the determining factor [for child circumcision]. BMA News Review (London). 1998-09-12

The Circumcision Information and Resource Pages are a not-for-profit educational resource and library. IntactiWiki hosts this website but is not responsible for the content of this site. CIRP makes documents available without charge, for informational purposes only. The contents of this site are not intended to replace the professional medical or legal advice of a licensed practitioner.

IntactiWiki.