WE CONTACTED experts in the fields of ethics, child abuse, human rights, and consent for medical procedures. Some of these individuals are supportive of our work. Others did not respond to our inquiries or said circumcision was outside their area of expertise. None of them, however, attempted to refute our basic arguments.

We have on file nearly 500 letters with Canadian medical organizations, government officials, and academics. This correspondence, which is available online, testifies to our society's lack of understanding of the basic legal, ethical and human rights issues surrounding infant male circumcision. Many of the responses we received from authorities were extremely evasive. In British Columbia, the replies we received from the College of Physicians and Surgeons were so unsatisfactory that a leading medical ethicist and the B.C. Ministry of Health were prompted to express their concerns in letters to the College.

We require further consultation with experts to clarify some issues, particularly in the area of child abuse. Child protection agencies in different jurisdictions define the term "child abuse" in different ways.