Meanwhile...... :D In the summer of 2013, � learned that two individuals were leaving promotional advertisements regarding non-therapeutic male infant circumcision in a Vancouver Island hospital. These serial circumcisers hoped to convince parents to ignore the 2009 statement from the British Columbia College of Physicians & Surgeons, which states: “Current understanding of the benefits, risks and potential harm of this procedure, however, no longer supports this practice for prophylactic health benefit. Routine infant male circumcision performed on a healthy infant is now considered a non‐therapeutic and medically unnecessary intervention. Parental preference alone does not justify a non‐therapeutic procedure. Circumcision is painful, and puts the patient at risk for complications ranging from minor, as in mild local infections, to more serious such as injury to the penis, meatal stenosis, urinary retention, urinary tract infection and, rarely, even haemorrhage leading to death. Under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, an infant has rights that include security of person, life, freedom and bodily integrity. Routine infant male circumcision is an unnecessary and irreversible procedure. This procedure should be delayed to a later date when the child can make his own informed decision.” A letter-writing campaign began, which asked Vancouver Island Health Authority, now called Island Health, to reconsider allowing these individuals to distribute information which was not in line with the above statement or Canadas basic human rights obligations. On October 29th, the first response was received from Island Health which made the following points: 1. The Director for Island Healths Child, Youth and Family program has reviewed the situation and found advertising material in the Child, Youth and Family services area. These items have now been removed from these areas 2. The physician has been informed to not leave advertising materials within Island Health facilities in the future. 3. We do not intentionally advertise circumcision within Island Health, nor does Island Health provide circumcision as a routine service. Cìrcumcisions are performed by Island Health only when necessitated by a urological issue. The team at Genital Autonomy Canada celebrates the ethical care provided by Island Health and would encourage others to contact their local health authorities to share this story and inquire if they will be taking similar steps to protecting the rights of children. By: Genital Autonomy Canada
Posted on: Fri, 01 Nov 2013 15:03:24 +0000
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