July 14, 2021

Rhonda Spivak Editor
Winnipeg Jewish Review
 

Dear Ms. Spivak,

CPSM is grateful for the feedback received regarding performing male circumcisions stemming from the draft Standard of Practice for Performing Office-Based Procedures (the Standard), currently in the public consultation phase.

First and foremost, we wish to clarify that this Standard only applies to members of CPSM, including medical doctors, medical students, residents, physician assistants and clinical assistants registered in Manitoba. The Standard sets out specific requirements members of CPSM must follow in performing certain procedures, including male circumcisions, in specified non-institutional settings. The Standard does not ban male circumcision, nor is that something CPSM could do.

As you are likely aware, there is an exemption in the Regulated Health Professions General Regulation at section 4 that permits people who are not regulated health professionals to perform the reserved acts necessary for male circumcision in the course of a religious ceremony or tradition. The Standard would not apply to persons who are not regulated by CPSM who avail of this exemption.

The working group for this Standard will review all comments and revisit the current draft to carefully consider amendments necessary to appropriately accommodate the performance of male circumcisions in the course of religious ceremony or tradition.

The goal of the Standard is to establish minimum practice requirements for specific procedures that are performed in non-hospital facilities (i.e. office-based procedures) that may pose a high risk to patient safety. We recognize that the Standard as currently written groups all procedures that it applies to together, including cosmetic and minor surgical procedures, Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy, laser devices, etc. Following the public consultation, the unique aspects of each type of procedure will be considered to determine if modified wording is required.

Understanding how various perspectives may interpret the Standard is precisely the goal of the public consultation. The draft Standard is open for public feedback until July 16. The Working Group for the Standard will review all responses and consider further revisions. This process is in place for all CPSM Standards of Practice, many of which have significantly improved after taking public feedback into account.

Regards,
COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS AND
SURGEONS OF MANITOBA (CPSM)
Per:

?

AINSLIE J. MIHALCHUK, MD
Assistant Registrar

COPY: Dr. Jacobi Elliott, CPSM President
Dr. Anna Ziomek, CPSM Registrar/CEO
AM/br

About The College of Physicians and Surgeons (CPSM)
CPSM’s role is to protect the public as consumers of medical care and promote the safe and ethical delivery of quality medical care by physicians in Manitoba. CPSM has been regulating the medical profession in Manitoba for 150 years.

About Standards of Practice
Standards of Practice of Medicine set out the requirements related to specific aspects of the quality of medicine practice. These are the rules all physicians in Manitoba must adhere to.