Circumcision registry promotes precise research and fosters informed parental decisions

Abstract Background In 2017 Ploug and Holm argued that anonymizing individuals in the Danish circumcision registry was insufficient to protect these individuals from what they regard as the potential harms of being in the registry (overreaching social pressure, stigmatization, medicalization of a re...

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Main Authors: Robert S. Van Howe, Morten Frisch, Peter W. Adler, J. Steven Svoboda
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2019-01-01
Series:BMC Medical Ethics
Online Access:http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12910-018-0337-7
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author Robert S. Van Howe
Morten Frisch
Peter W. Adler
J. Steven Svoboda
author_facet Robert S. Van Howe
Morten Frisch
Peter W. Adler
J. Steven Svoboda
author_sort Robert S. Van Howe
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background In 2017 Ploug and Holm argued that anonymizing individuals in the Danish circumcision registry was insufficient to protect these individuals from what they regard as the potential harms of being in the registry (overreaching social pressure, stigmatization, medicalization of a religious practice, discrimination and promoting polarized research). Discussion We argue that Ploug and Holm’s fears in each of the areas are misguided, not supported by the evidence, and could interfere with the gathering of accurate data. The extent of the risks and harms associated with ritual circumcision is not well known. The anonymized personal health data supplemented with the circumcision registry will enable more precise research into the medical consequences of ritual circumcision, and allow parents to make more fully informed decisions about circumcision with minimal, if any, adverse consequences.
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spelling doaj.art-198ad2f9d7d641d187b66219beb3493a2022-12-21T19:25:42ZengBMCBMC Medical Ethics1472-69392019-01-012011710.1186/s12910-018-0337-7Circumcision registry promotes precise research and fosters informed parental decisionsRobert S. Van Howe0Morten Frisch1Peter W. Adler2J. Steven Svoboda3Department of Paediatrics, Central Michigan University CollegeDepartment of Clinical Medicine, Center for Sexology Research, Aalborg UniversityUniversity of Massachusetts (Lowell)Attorneys for the Rights of the ChildAbstract Background In 2017 Ploug and Holm argued that anonymizing individuals in the Danish circumcision registry was insufficient to protect these individuals from what they regard as the potential harms of being in the registry (overreaching social pressure, stigmatization, medicalization of a religious practice, discrimination and promoting polarized research). Discussion We argue that Ploug and Holm’s fears in each of the areas are misguided, not supported by the evidence, and could interfere with the gathering of accurate data. The extent of the risks and harms associated with ritual circumcision is not well known. The anonymized personal health data supplemented with the circumcision registry will enable more precise research into the medical consequences of ritual circumcision, and allow parents to make more fully informed decisions about circumcision with minimal, if any, adverse consequences.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12910-018-0337-7
spellingShingle Robert S. Van Howe
Morten Frisch
Peter W. Adler
J. Steven Svoboda
Circumcision registry promotes precise research and fosters informed parental decisions
BMC Medical Ethics
title Circumcision registry promotes precise research and fosters informed parental decisions
title_full Circumcision registry promotes precise research and fosters informed parental decisions
title_fullStr Circumcision registry promotes precise research and fosters informed parental decisions
title_full_unstemmed Circumcision registry promotes precise research and fosters informed parental decisions
title_short Circumcision registry promotes precise research and fosters informed parental decisions
title_sort circumcision registry promotes precise research and fosters informed parental decisions
url http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12910-018-0337-7
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AT mortenfrisch circumcisionregistrypromotespreciseresearchandfostersinformedparentaldecisions
AT peterwadler circumcisionregistrypromotespreciseresearchandfostersinformedparentaldecisions
AT jstevensvoboda circumcisionregistrypromotespreciseresearchandfostersinformedparentaldecisions