Circumcision and the American Academy of Pediatrics: Should Scientific Misconduct Result in Trade Association Liability?

Iowa Law Review, Volume 85, Issue 4: Pages 1507-1568, May 2000.

Matthew R. Giannetti*

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.

Cite as:

Matthew R. Giannetti. Circumcision and the American Academy of Pediatrics: Should Scientific Misconduct Result in Trade Association Liability. 85 Iowa L. Rev 1507 (2000).

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