Email AAP Board of Directors - Urge them to not recommend circumcision!

[Cresaiyan]

Sent to all. Thanks for the call to action, I wouldn't have known about this otherwise.

[tony12345]

Everyone should get on the letter writing campaign asap to the AAP Board members. Intaction has sent both email and written letters, based on the email service we use I know at least 6 of the 14 board members have opened the email so far.

According to the Washington Post the AAP is supposedly coming out with a new policy more strongly endorsing infant circumcision. This may be our last chance to stop this at the Board level.

If anyone wants the AAP Board mail/email in CSV format for mail-merge let me know.

[Chris]

I just read this in a comment on the LA Times Article that tells men to "man up".

"Circumcision does not appear to shield men from most types of STDs in developed nations". SOURCE: Journal of Pediatrics, MARCH 2008."

I don't know if this is true as I haven't read this before. But if it is true this is another thing we can add to our letters.

[z726]

Originally Posted by Chris

I just read this in a comment on the LA Times Article that tells men to "man up".

"Circumcision does not appear to shield men from most types of STDs in developed nations". SOURCE: Journal of Pediatrics, MARCH 2008."

I don't know if this is true as I haven't read this before. But if it is true this is another thing we can add to our letters.

Here's the journal issue:
http://www.jpeds.com/issues?issue_ke...476(08)X0120-9

…and the article abstract, "Circumcision and Risk of Sexually Transmitted Infections in a Birth Cohort":
http://www.jpeds.com/article/S0022-3...707-X/abstract

…and the full text:
http://www.researchgate.net/publicat...a_birth_cohort

Interestingly enough, the PDF file of the full text linked from that last site (on the right side of the page) is hosted at doctorsopposingcircumcision.org - though DOC doesn't have a link to it on their website that I can find.

[Chris]

I sent an email to every single board of director. Also, I got an email saying that for this person, Thomas K. McInerny” thomasmci@aol.com, the email never went through as the email address is invalid. Does anybody know what his correct email is so we can email him too?

[Chris]

Here is the letter I sent to every single board member. I signed with my full name, but removed it only for the purposes of the forum. I feel it's important to sign with a full name. A letter with a full name sends a message that we are very serious. But if you are not comfortable signing with your name, please send an anonymous letter as it will still make an impact. Please feel free to use my letter any way you wish so long as it is for the purpose of fighting infant circumcision. You may use my letter in it's entirety, or any part. And this is one thing I forgot to add, Circumcision violates the AAP’s own policies on proxy consent for minors: http://www.cirp.org/library/ethics/AAP/
[/url] So whether you write your own letter or use mine you may want to add this too.


Dear AAP Board of Directors,

I understand that the AAP has a circumcision task force that may be revising the AAP’s official policy on infant circumcision. I have several major concerns that I would like to bring to your attention. Concerns about the well being of the patients, and concerns about how such an action would be detrimental to the reputation and credibility of the AAP as a professional medical organization.

First, not one medical organization on the planet endorses routine infant circumcision, and numerous medical organizations around the world are actually attempting to outlaw unnecessary child circumcision, and only allow it if there is a true and immediate reason with no other alternatives. And the AAP is considering endorsing circumcision? If the AAP does make a public endorsement, it will catch a tremendous amount of flak from counterpart medical organizations from around the world. The AAP will lose all credibility as a respected medical organization. And not only will the AAP lose credibility in regards to circumcision, it will lose credibility in everything else, as an organization that recommends routine circumcision has a clear lack of understanding of medical issues and cannot be trusted as a reliable source of sound medical advice. So endorsing infant circumcision will be very bad for the AAP and goes against the AAP’s best interests.

Also, new studies show that circumcised men actually have an INCREASED risk of contracting the HIV virus. So in light of these new studies, it cannot be decisively stated that circumcision is effective in combating HIV, especially when there are cheaper, more effective and less invasive means available. At the very minimum, more research is needed in this area. Here is a link to an interesting article for your reference…
http://www.zimdiaspora.com/index.php...tips&Itemid=18

And when speaking of STD’s in general, the Journal of Pediatrics in March 2008 published an article that clearly states in the conclusion, “These findings are consistent with recent population-based cross-sectional studies in developed countries, which found that early childhood circumcision does not markedly reduce the risk of the common STIs in the general population in such countries.” Here is a link for reference… http://www.jpeds.com/article/S0022-3...707-X/abstract

In addition, a court has recently ruled that circumcising a healthy child for any reason is an irreversible interference with the integrity of the human body and constitutes criminal assault. It may have not been an American court, but it was still a court ruling in a major 1st world country. In the 21st century the world recognizes child circumcision as a crime, although not enforced, it is still recognized as a criminal act. If the AAP makes a public endorsement of infant/child circumcision, it will be seen globally as an overt criminal act.

Lastly, if the AAP promotes a public policy endorsing circumcision it would be in direct contradiction to EVERY counterpart medical organization on the planet and could potentially put the patient at an increased risk of contracting HIV and have other unintended implications such as decreased sexual function and sensation. For the AAP to take such an action under such conditions would be highly irresponsible and unprofessional, and the AAP would be taking an extraordinary risk of being subjected to major class action lawsuits in the decades to come.

Medical organizations around the world are publicly opposed to routine circumcision. Since this is the United States where circumcision has become engrained in the culture, I understand it is not realistic for the AAP publicly oppose circumcision at the current moment. I am simply asking that the AAP does not endorse infant circumcision for all the reasons stated in this letter. Thank you for taking the time to consider my concerns about patients’ well being and the credibility and respectability of the AAP as a medical organization.

Sincerely,

My full name

[mark85]

I like it, good job Chris.