Did you escape circumcision in infancy or childhood? You’re not safe yet! One of the more disturbing presentations at WAS2025 was “The Dark Side of Urology: Exposing decades of unethical and ongoing experimental penile neurotomy practices” by Dr. Alfonso Cepeda-Emiliani.

That circumcision is widely accepted in urological clinics to desensitize the penis as a cure for PE stands in direct contradiction of claims by advocates of infant circumcision that circumcision has no effect upon penile sensitivity.

When intact men present to a urologist with concerns about premature ejaculation (PE), most ethical urologists will first recommend visiting a mental health professional to rule out a possible psychosexual basis for the condition. Failing that, there are numerous non-surgical options, including the use of condoms or lubricating gels containing numbing agents to reduce penile sensitivity and delay ejaculation. As a last resort, circumcision is used as a means to cure PE by desensitizing the penis.

That circumcision is widely accepted in urological clinics to desensitize the penis as a cure for PE stands in direct contradiction of claims by advocates of infant circumcision that circumcision has no effect upon penile sensitivity.

Dr. Alfonso Cepeda-Emiliani

Some unethical urologists are now taking circumcision a step further by excising some or all of the penile nerves in a procedure called penile neurotomy (PN).

In his presentation, Dr. Cepeda-Emiliani documented thousands of cases where unconsenting patients were not told beforehand that PN would be performed and were not fully informed prior to this sexually and psychologically crippling surgical intervention. Although he presented a list of urological guidelines that discourage PN, he also presented evidence that penile neurotomy is “out of control” in many parts of the world, like Brazil, South Korea, China and India. It’s not known at this time how widespread PN is in North America.

Slide from Dr. Cepeda-Emiliani’s presentation on penile neurotomy at WAS 2025

Three Slides from Dr. Cepeda-Emiliani’s presentation on penile neurotomy at WAS 2025

If you’re an intact man suffering from PE and have been advised to have a circumcision, it is recommended that you have a thorough discussion with your surgeon, preferably with a trusted witness in the room such as a spouse, friend or family member, about what exactly will happen under the surgeon’s scalpel. Ask if the surgeon is familiar with penile neurotomy and verbally express your wish to NOT have the penile neurotomy performed. When given the surgical consent form, make sure your wishes are noted, and if they are not, add the words NO PENILE NEUROTOMY! to the written or electronic consent form before signing, and ask for a printed and/or digital copy of the modified and signed form for your records.