Physicians influence circumcision rates by their attitude towards circumcision and their willingness or unwillingness to educate parents. Most US male physicians are unaware of how they themselves have been genitally compromised and are likely given little or no accurate information about circumcision in medical school. Female physicians are equally unlikely to appreciate the value of a foreskin.

Nearly every illustration of male sexual anatomy in medical textbooks, popular medical books, and American-produced pornography portrays the penis as being circumcised, without comment, as if it were naturally so. —Paul M. Fleiss, MD, and Frederick M. Hodges, DPhil

Most physicians unconsciously protect their egos by believing circumcision is a stress-free surgery without any negative consequences. Most are uncomfortable discussing sexual matters, not only with their patients but also with other physicians. Many have not made peace with their own sexual feelings or have not been honest in their evaluation of their sexual prejudices. Our culture's deeply imprinted bias toward the appearance of the intact penis remains largely unchallenged and unrecognized by the medical profession as well as the culture at large.

Circumcision is big business. Neonatal circumcision is the most frequently performed routine operation in the US. Doctors are collecting as much as $240 million yearly to perform 1.2 million needless operations on 1.2 million normal penises. In England, under socialized medicine when physicians were no longer compensated monetarily, the circumcision rate fell to below 0.5%.

Most parents want the operation. I can make an extra $200. Why should I try to dissuade them? —Anonymous obstetrician

And then, there are the hidden factors that raise the cost of circumcision to the healthcare industry. For example, the additional cost of the added average half-day longer hospital stay for circumcised infants is estimated between $250-550 million beyond the charges for the procedure itself. The total cost

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