Circumcision and the American
Matthew R. Giannetti*
Academy of Pediatrics: Should Scientific
Misconduct Result in Trade Association
Liability?INTRODUCTION.......................................................1509
I. CIRCUMCISION AS MEDICAL PRACTICE UNDER THE 1989 AAP REPORT.....1514
A. PHIMOSIS.................................................1514
B. CANCER...................................................1516
1. Cervical Cancer.......................................1516
2. Penile Cancer.........................................1518
3. Prostate Cancer.......................................1519
C. URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS...................................1520
D. SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES..............................1522
E. PHYSICAL COMPLICATIONS OF CIRCUMCISION......................1523
F. BEHAVIORAL COMPLICATIONS OF CIRCUMCISION....................1528
G. FUNCTIONS AND BENEFITS OF THE FORESKIN......................1530
H. COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF CIRCUMCISION AS MEDICINE............1532
II. THE 1999 AAP REPORT........................................1533
A. PENILE CANCER............................................1534
B. SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES.............................1536
C. URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS..................................1537
D. COMPLICATIONS............................................1539
E. BEHAVIORAL EFFECTS AND PAIN...............................1540
F. PHIMOSIS AND FORESKIN MISCHARACTERIZATION...................1542
G. 1999 AAP ONLINE BROCHURE AND FURTHER MISCHARACTERIZATION....1542
H. FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION, ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS, AND
INTERNATIONAL VIEWS ON INFANT MALE CIRCUMCISION.............1543
III. LEGAL THEORIES FOR TRADE ASSOCIATION LIABILITY................1545
A. THEORETICAL EXAMINATIONS OF MEDICAL TRADE
ASSOCIATION LIABILITY FOR FAULTY PRACTICE GUIDELINES........1546
B. SNYDER V. AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF BLOOD BANKS..............1548
C. WEIGAND V. UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL OF NEW YORK
UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER................................ 1553
D. SECTION 324A OF THE RESTATEMENT
(SECOND) OF TORTS.......................................1554
E. N.N.V. V. AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF BLOOD BANKS..............1558
F. POSSIBILITY THAT EVIDENCE MIGHT SUPPORT
FRAUDULENT MISREPRESENTATION RATHER THAN
NEGLIGENCE...............................................1563
G. PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS OPPOSING
CIRCUMCISION.............................................1566
IV. RECOMMENDATIONS.............................................1566
CONCLUSION........................................................1568
* Law Student, University of Iowa College of Law Class of 2000. I would like to thank my parents for their support and encouragement during the writing of this Note.
http://www.cirp.org/library/legal/giannetti/