Why The Baby Doctor Supports Metzitza B'peh

Stephen I. Weiss interviews one of the two pediatricians pimped by haredim who claim metzitza b'peh, the oral suctioning of the open cirumcision wound by the mohel, is not dangerous. Here's what Dr. Robert Adler has to say:

"I’ve spoken to infectious disease experts…even though the bulk of” them think it’s dangerous, “the ones who are like triple professors” have told him it’s not a problem.”

As I noted there, generally speaking, according to halakha (Jewish law), from this quote alone MBP should be suspended. If the majority of infectious disease specialists think it’s dangerous, then it must be stopped.

The only exception may be if his “triple professors” are really at the top of this field, and are not outweighed by other infectious disease specialists also at the top of the field. But this seems unlikely based on the infectious disease specialists who have already come out against MBP.

This should be further proof that haredim are not pursuing this honestly. At the very least, they should be calling for a temporary suspension of MBP. But they are not.

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Comments

[Larry Lennhoff]

There is an exception to the pikuach nefesh laws in the case where a gentile government is trying to force the Jews to give up a Jewish practice because it is Jewish. In that case, as Rambam says, we are required to martyr ourselves even over 'the way we tie our shoes'.

I don't believe this exemption applies in the case of MPB. The local health officials seem concerned over health threats to the children, not stopping Jewish practices. But perhaps the Haredim see it differently?

[The Atheologist]

What century are we living in? I always have to check the calendar.