New York - Health Dept. Is Working On Guidelines For Metzitzah B'Peh

New York - For thousands of years, rabbis performed a simple procedure to cleanse the wound left by a ritual circumcision, they quickly sucked blood from the cut and spit it aside, ostensibly disposing of any harmful impurities.
The procedure is the subject of a clash between religion and science in modern-day New York.

Prompting the state health department to develop its first set of safety guidelines on the ritual of oral suction.
The new state guidelines would stop short of a ban, but include precautions that could reduce the chances of infection, said New York State Department of Health spokesman Robert Kenny.
Rabbis will likely be asked to inform their congregations about the potential risks of the procedure and parents advised to seek prompt care from a pediatrician if their baby develops a fever or rash.
Steps would also be taken to "ensure that mohels have full knowledge of their health status" before they perform the ritual.
He declined to discuss details of the guidelines, saying they were still being developed.

Several religious leaders who support metzitzah b'peh have suggested that mohels be asked to rinse their mouths with alcohol, undergo regular testing for disease and refrain from doing circumcisions if they have a cold sore.
"Our priority is to protect the public health, and increase the awareness of the potential health risks associated with this practice," Kenny said.

It is unclear how the Hasidic community will react to the guidelines, which would be voluntary.