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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    What is circumcision?

    Related Topics
    Children's Health Circumcision
    • 2 answers
    • Prof Brian Morris
    • Serene Johnson
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    Prof Brian Morris

    HealthShare Member

    Circumcision is a simple safe very common medical procedure used to remove the foreskin, a tiny flap of skin that covers the head of the penis. The health benefits of circumcision are now conclusively established, so muhc so that circumcision is referred to as a “surgical vaccine”. There are no long-term risks and people should be aware that a lot of misinformation has been placed on the Internet by opponents of circumcision and vaccination. The risks of medical circumcision itself are not only uncommon, but if they occur are virtually all trivial and easily treated. Benefits exceed risks by well over 100 to 1. If not circumcised half of all males will suffer a foreskin-related problem over their lifetime, and some of them, and their sexual partner(s) will die as a result of cancers and infections (such as HIV) that circumcision is able to protect against. In the 21st century the decision to circumcise really is a “no-brainer” and is the same as the decision to vaccinate.
    See the Circumcision Foundation of Australia policy statement (free download):
    http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?paperID=17415
    and why infancy is the best time:
    http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2431/12/20
    Professor Brian J Morris, School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney

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    Serene Johnson

    Registered Nurse

    Circumcision is the surgical removal of the foreskin of the penis in males. Controversey exists over the legality and ethics of infantile circumcision, as the child does not get to make a choice about a permanent alteration to his body. In fact, in 1993, the QLD law reform identified routine infant circumcision as assault. 

    To date, no randomised controlled studies have shown any benefit of RIC that cannot otherwise be obtained through good hygiene and antibiotics. 

    Circumcision has many risks: meatal stenosis, readhesion of the remnant foreskin, skin bridging (causes intense pain during erection), haemorrhage, infection, degloving of the penis, and infants can and do die from circumcision. Many men experience sexual difficulties later in life that are attributable to their circumcision.

    The studies in Africa showing a relative reduction of 60% transmission of HIV for circumcised men were not only seriously flawed in their methodology, but have been rejected by most of the developed world as an effective strategy for HIV prevention. What DOES prevent HIV? Condoms. Condoms and safe living. 

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