Doctors Opposing Circumcision

Doctors Opposing Circumcision (DOC) is an American tax-exempt, non-profit, educational, non-governmental organization (NGO), which is registered under Section 501c3 of the Internal Revenue Code. DOC is headquartered in Seattle, Washington, USA. DOC combines expertise in medicine with expertise in law. Contributions to DOC are tax-deductible charitable contributions. DOC is a member of Child Rights Information Network. DOC claims members on six continents.

History

DOC was founded by University of Washington Medical School Professor George C. Denniston, MD, MPH, in 1995 to support genital integrity for children and to discourage the surgical genital modification for cultural practices.[1][2]

Governance

Doctors Opposing Circumcision is governed by a board of directors. Dr. Denniston serves as chairman of the board and president. John V. Geisheker, JD, LLM, serves as executive director. DOC defines its mission as advocacy of "genital integrity for the health and well-being of all children."[3]

Recognition

DOC's formation was announced in the NOCIRC Newsletter.[2] DOC has been cited by Newsweek Magazine.[4] The Seattle Times has recognized Doctors Opposing Circumcision in numerous articles.[5][6][7][8][9] The Washington Post has published a letter from DOC.[10]

Litigation

DOC intervened in the Oregon case of Boldt v. Boldt, which technically was a child custody case, but actually about parental power to circumcise at will, by filing two amicus curiae educational briefs to help the court. As a result of DOC's intervention, the Oregon Supreme Court remanded the case to the trial court with instructions to determine the child's wishes regarding circumcision.[11] DOC's intervention was cited by the court in its written opinion. The trial court determined that the child did not want to be circumcised and custody was changed from the father to the mother. This landmark case received critical comment in the medical ethics literature.[12][13][14]

Advocacy

DOC has written a Genital Integrity Policy to support its position that genital integrity provides the highest state of health and well-being.[15] DOC's staff has had many letters published in medical journals. DOC has voiced strong opposition to the pro-circumcision Circumcision Policy Statement published by the American Academy of Pediatrics in September 2012.[16]

DOC receives complaints from parents of medical misbehavior regarding the foreskin and circumcision, and assists parents in filing complaints with medical licensing boards.

DOC collaborates with other human rights, children's rights, and genital integrity organizations, such as NOCIRC and Intact America, in the furtherance of their common goals.

References

  1. ↑ Denniston, John. "Doctors Opposing Circumcision". Doctors Opposing Circumcision. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
  2. 1 2 Denniston GC. Doctors Opposing Circumcision (D.O.C.). NOCIRC Newsletter. Spring/Summer 1996.
  3. ↑ "DOCTORS OPPOSING CIRCUMCISION (D.O.C.) Physicians for Genital Integrity". Retrieved 29 January 2014.
  4. ↑ Miller L. BeliefWatch: First Cut. Newsweek. May 6, 2007.
  5. ↑ Ostrom CM. The circumcision decision: Merits of procedure debated. Seattle Times. July 9, 2003.
  6. ↑ Ostrom CM. Circumcision foes doubt practice can halt AIDS spread. Seattle Times. August 23, 2006.
  7. ↑ Skidmore S. Circumcision case: What does boy want?. Seattle Times. January 26, 2008.
  8. ↑ Letters Editor. Times article on circumcision in Washington draws ire. Seattle Times. August 18, 2006.
  9. ↑ Ostrom CM. Circumcision benefits outweigh risks, pediatrics report says. Seattle Times. August 27, 2012.
  10. ↑ Geisheker JV. There's good concern for not circumcising boys. Washington Post. January 21, 2010.
  11. ↑ Boldt v. Boldt. 176 P.3d 388 (SC Oregon 2008).
  12. ↑ Davis D. Fathers, foreskins and family law. Lahey Clinic Journal of Family Law. 2008;16(2):4,7.
  13. ↑ Diekema DS. Boldt v. Boldt: A pediatric ethics perspective. J Clin Ethics. 2009;20(3):251-7. PMID 19845198.
  14. ↑ Dolgin JL. Where Is the child? Circumcision and custody in Boldt v. Boldt. J Clin Ethics. 2009;20(3):244-50. PMID 19845197.
  15. ↑ Anonymous. Genital Integrity Policy Statement. Seattle: Doctors Opposing Circumcision, 2008.
  16. ↑ Anonymous. Commentary on American Academy of Pediatrics 2012 Circumcision Policy Statement. Seattle: Doctors Opposing Circumcision, 2012.

External links

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