July 7, 1998

Carole M. Lannon, M.D., M.P.H.
Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Department of Pediatrics
Division of Community Pediatrics
CB# 7225, Wing C, Medical School
Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7225

Dear Doctor Lannon:

Since contacting you last December, I have had a number of articles and letters that have been published or are in queue to be published. I thought I would share these with you. I have enclosed copies for your perusal.

  1. Anesthesia for Neonatal Circumcison: Who Benefits? Journal of Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Health.
  2. Local Anesthesia for Infants Undergoing Circumcision. (with Christopher J. Cold, MD). Journal of the American Medical Association.
  3. RE: Somatosensory Evoked Potentials in Patients with Primary Premature Ejaculation. (with Christopher J. Cold, MD). Journal of Urology.
  4. Immunological Function of the Human Prepuce. (with Paul M. Fleiss, MD and Frederick M. Hodges, MA(Oxon)). Sexually Transmitted Diseases (formerly Genitourinary Medicine). In press.
  5. Cost-Effective Treatment of Phimosis. Pediatrics. In press.
  6. Circumcision and HIV-infection: Review of the Literature and Meta-Analysis. International Journal of STD & AIDS. In press.
  7. RE: Neonatal circumcision: randomized trial of sucrose pacifier for pain control. (with Christopher J. Cold, MD). Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. In press.
  8. Does Circumcision Influence Sexually Transmitted Diseases? A Literature Review. British Journal of Urology. For upcoming supplement on circumcision.
  9. Involuntary Circumcision: The Legal Issues. (with J. Steven Svoboda, JD, James G. Dwyer, JD, PhD, and Christopher J. Price, MA(Oxon)). British Journal of Urology. For upcoming supplement on circumcision.

Having read the American Academy of Pediatrics' position statement on Female Genital Mutilation, I was struck by how incredibly similar it is to male circumcision in our country. The reasons given, the complications, and societal forces at work are nearly identical. One would fully expect the Academy to call for similar measures to protect boys from involuntary sexual alterations. I hope the Task Force have the courage and fortitude to do so. If you have any questions regarding the enclosed materials, please feel free to contact me.


Sincerely,


Robert S. Van Howe, M.D.
e-mail: vanhower@dgabby.mfldclin.edu