Israel's health ministry ends circumcisers' monopoly

Israeli doctors will be able to apply for certification to perform circumcision under the health ministry's plans to end a long standing monopoly held by non-medically qualified practitioners. The move follows the ministry's decision not to contest a lawsuit brought to the High Court of Justice by a private clinic group in Tel Aviv.

Mila Tova (good circumcision in Hebrew) took the ministry to court for refusing to certify its three urologists for performing circumcisions. The health ministry has since agreed to issue a directive to Israeli hospitals allowing them for the first time to certify doctors able to perform such procedures. Acting ministry director general …