Amazon pull 'irresponsible' infant circumcision training kits from sale over child safety fears

Exclusive Secular and medical groups 'concerned' the kits could put infants at risk

The kits removed by Amazon include surgical supplies and instructions, but a training dummy with replaceable foreskins is still on sale (Getty Images)

Amazon has withdrawn “irresponsible” circumcision training kits from sale after a complaint from secular groups, who warned they could put babies at risk by encouraging unqualified practitioners to attempt the procedure.

The National Secular Society wrote to Amazon twice asking for the kits, modelled on a child under two, to be “permanently removed from sale” and warning unnecessary surgery could lead to serious harm.

Life/Form Circumcision Trainer kits, including surgical scissors, scalpels, a practice dummy with prosthetic foreskin replacements and instructions, were on sale for between £365 and £456, but were removed after an enquiry by The Independent.

However cheaper versions of the kits, including the dummy training doll and foreskin replacements, were still listed at time of publication.

Infant circumcision training kit could lead to increase in unregulated procedures, surgeons warn (Life/Form)

One model is listed as "currently unavailable", although it is unclear why, on Amazon’s UK site and another is available through the US site, but Amazon clarified this does not ship to the UK.

Medical groups told The Independent that health justifications for circumcision in boys under five are rare.

Manoj Shenoy, president of the British Association of Paediatric Urologists, said the training kits “are not medically appropriate” and said he had concerns they could increase unregulated circumcision.

Nurse Grace Adeleye was convicted of manslaughter in 2012 after a botched circumcision as part of a Christian cultural tradition led to the death of four-week-old Goodluck Caubergs.

In another case in Swizerland a doctor accidentally cut off a young boy’s penis during his circumcision.

Circumcision is performed for a variety of cultural and religious reasons, and some groups have internal systems for regulating anyone performing circumcision.

The letter from the National Secular Society to Amazon said: “We write to bring to your attention our concerns about infant circumcision training kits currently being advertised and sold by Amazon UK, and to ask that you permanently remove them from sale.

“Male circumcision in the UK is wholly unregulated and we fear that the sale of this product may encourage unqualified practitioners to carry out unnecessary surgery on infants in non-clinical conditions, resulting in serious harm.”

It warns that a complaint to the the UK Advertising Standards Agency could follow about the health benefits claimed.

The product description for the kits still available on Amazon say: “This worldwide procedure is performed for health, religious, or cultural reasons shortly after birth, around puberty, or during young adulthood.”

It claims the World Health Organisation (WHO), among other groups, says there is “evidence that indicates male circumcision significantly reduces the risk of female-to-male HIV transmission by over 50 per cent”.

WHO guidance for countries with high rates of HIV does state there is evidence that professionally performed circumcision can reduce HIV infection in heterosexual men.

But the programme advocated by the WHO is voluntary, with circumcisions being offered to men looking to reduce their risk.

These kits are aimed at newborns and the Amazon page adds this was developed “with the assistance from one of the top medical schools in Wisconsin” as well as medical professionals in South Africa and Indonesia.

“Medical students, physicians, and other practitioners can learn, practice, and improve realistic, hands-on skills for this delicate procedure without the worry of learning on a live patient,” it adds.

But NHS specialists said these tools were not the sort used to train surgeons or urologists.

Mr Shenoy, a consultant paediatric urologist at Nottingham University Hospitals, told The Independent: “There are very few medical reasons for young children to need circumcision. In the few examples where intervention is required, an experienced medical practitioner should perform the operation.

“The fact that these kits are being sold online is concerning as it could lead to unregulated circumcision.

“The kits are not medically appropriate as a training tool and we would urge Amazon to ensure these kits do not resurface on their website again.”

Ms Evelyn Ong, honorary secretary of the British Association of Paediatric Surgeons, told The Independent: “BAPS does not condone the performance of circumcision by anyone who is not sufficiently trained in all aspects of care as per the attached document.”

“A self-training kit alone clearly does not fulfil our standard of care.”

The National Secular Society highlighted that other versions of the kits were still on sale, but welcomed Amazon’s efforts to remove them.

Chief executive Stephen Evans said: “No child should be subjected to unnecessary medical surgery. The morally negligent sale of infant circumcision training kits to the public normalises this form of abuse and risks encouraging it.”

“A growing number of medics and lawyers are questioning forced genital cutting and recognising the need to safeguard boys from this unethical practice.

A spokesperson for Milah UK, the body set up by the Jewish community in the UK to promote and protect the right of the Jewish community to carry out religious male circumcision, said: “In the UK the Jewish community has systems of oversight, training and regulation which are under continual monitoring and scrutiny.

“The Jewish public is aware of the necessity for regulated mohelim [those who perform the procedure] and the appropriate regulating bodies ensure the highest of standards.”

Amazon confirmed it had removed the products from sale after The Independent’s enquiry.