Was Jewish circumcision accidentally banned by Manitoba’s medical regulator?

Manitoba’s medical regulator, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba (CPSM), backed away from a new standard of practice formulated last month, forcing all circumcisions to be performed in an approved medical clinic or hospital.

The standard of practice caused a stir as questions arose as to whether the CPSM would ban all circumcision practices altogether, or the ritual exclusively in Jewish conditions.

“No, the CPSM is not banning circumcision, and there is nothing we can do,” the CPSM said in a statement Friday.

“this [the standard of practice] Focuses on minimizing the risks associated with specific procedures performed in medical offices. We believe that as currently written, the standard will cover a male circumcised CPSM member outside an appropriate medical facility. It was not the intention to formulate this standard,” the statement said.

The CPSM confirmed that it did not consult with Manitoba’s Jewish community in drafting the new standard. However, part of the process of setting a new standard of practice includes a period of public consultation.

“At a minimum, the working group will add an exemption to the standard for male circumcision to be performed in a religious ceremony or tradition, particularly with regard to low-risk neonatal circumcision,” the statement said.