Correspondent:

B.C. PROVINCIAL HEALTH OFFICER

I am responding to your letter addressed to Dr. John Millar, dated September 28, 1998.

Dr. Millar has been appointed to the position of Vice President of the Canadian Institute of Health Information in Ottawa.

I would like to commend you on your research on this issue. You should be aware that the Medical Services Plan no longer reimburses physicians for carrying out this procedure because there is no medical indication for infant circumcision.

The demand for infant circumcision comes from parents and is determined by their cultural affiliations.

You can be assured that this office will continue to remind the public that there is no medical indication for infant male circumcision.

Thank you for taking the time to write and bringing this matter to my attention.

Yours truly,
 
[signed]
 
Dr. Shaun Peck
Deputy Provincial Health Officer