An Age of Consent for Circumcision?
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Holm Putzke, law professor, University of Passau
Medically unnecessary operations should be delayed until a patient is capable of deciding for himself. That's basic ethics.
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Abraham Foxman, Anti-Defamation League
Infant circumcision was among the first commandments given to Abraham in the Book of Genesis.
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Emmanuel Njeuhmeli, prevention adviser, U.S.A.I.D.
According to the World Health
Organization and others, only adolescent and adult patients must
consent; parents can sign off for infants and children.
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Sally Steenland, Center for American Progress
Civil law neither requires nor forbids this procedure. That’s the way it should be.
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John Geisheker, Doctors Opposing Circumcision
The Supreme Court long ago ruled that laws "cannot interfere with mere religious belief and opinions, they may with practices."
Jerome Favre/Bloomberg News
A court in Cologne, Germany,
recently ruled that parents could not have boys circumcised unless there is an urgent medical need.
Should other jurisdictions follow this example, with laws to delay
the procedure until boys can decide for themselves and give informed
consent? Or would that infringe on Muslims, Jews and others who consider
infant or childhood circumcision important?
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