The Board of Health voted Wednesday to repeal a rule that required signed consent forms for people who perform an ancient controversial circumcision ritual popular in segments of the ultra-orthodox Jewish community.
The ritual is known as oral suction circumcision. The circumciser uses his mouth to suck blood away from the incision.
Until now, the city required parents to acknowledge the potential risks before the procedure could take place.
That rule was enacted by Mayor Michael Bloomberg's administration after the ritual was linked to 17 cases of infant herpes, including two deaths.
Some rabbis say the consent forms step on religious rights.
Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett says the rule created hostility between the affected community and the Health Department, with very few cooperating.
"The board discussed the way in which the rule that was passed in 2012 had functioned and agreed that it hadn't been that effective. Instead they are relying on the department's educational efforts using written material that will be made widely available in a hospital and health care delivery settings," says Bassett.
Tens of thousands of brochures have been sent out to area hospitals serving Jewish communities to spread the word of risks associated with the ritual.
While there's no protocol in place to monitor how effective the education campaign is, Bassett says the city will continue to monitor and if another baby is found to contract herpes through the practice they will investigate it.
So far two circumcisers have been identified as having herpes.