#HealthcareEthics

A new set of urgent recommendations from the World Health Organization aims to curb the rise of medicalized female genital mutilation (FGM) and strengthen care for survivors. The guidance, released April 28, 2025, marks a significant step in the global effort to eradicate FGM and protect girls’ health and rights.

FGM involves partial or total removal of external female genitalia for non-medical reasons and carries serious health risks and human-rights violations. As more procedures are reported to be carried out by healthcare professionals—an trend known as medicalization—the WHO calls for stronger legal and policy actions to discourage this practice and to expand survivor support services. Health experts emphasize that no form of FGM is safe or ethical, regardless of the setting or provider.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued urgent new recommendations aimed at stopping the dangerous trend of “medicalized” female genital mutilation (FGM) and ensuring robust support for women and girls who have undergone the practice, according to a recent release. This latest guidance, announced on April 28, 2025, is seen as a pivotal step in the global fight to eradicate FGM, a deeply harmful practice affecting millions worldwide.

FGM, which involves the partial or total removal of external female genitalia for non-medical reasons, poses severe health risks and violates fundamental human rights. In response to mounting evidence that a growing share of FGM procedures are now performed by healthcare professionals—a process known as “medicalization”—the WHO is calling for stricter measures to discourage this troubling shift while intensifying care for survivors.

A recent case in the United States is raising alarm among health experts worldwide—including here in Thailand—after a controversial physician contracted measles yet continued to practice medicine, treating children who were never vaccinated against the highly infectious disease. The case, originally reported by Ars Technica, underscored the troubling intersection of vaccine hesitancy and public health, as well as the ongoing risks posed by declining immunization rates among children.

The incident involved an American doctor known for her opposition to vaccine mandates, who was diagnosed with measles after caring for unvaccinated pediatric patients during a local outbreak. Despite clear recommendations from health authorities that infected individuals remain isolated to avoid further transmission, the doctor allegedly kept treating her young patients—many of whom were especially vulnerable to the virus due to their unvaccinated status (source).

A measles case in the United States has drawn international attention, including in Thailand, highlighting how vaccine hesitancy and public health risk intersect. A physician diagnosed with measles continued to treat children who had not been vaccinated, despite clear guidance that infected individuals should isolate to prevent further spread. The incident, originally reported by Ars Technica, underscores ongoing concerns about declining immunization rates and their impact on vulnerable populations.

According to health authorities, the doctor involved has a public stance against vaccine mandates and treated unvaccinated pediatric patients during an outbreak. Local clinics and hospitals faced heightened risk as exposure occurred in settings where unvaccinated children gathered. Public health experts stress that isolation after infection is a critical step to stop transmission, and continuing to care for patients in this state is widely viewed as dangerous and unethical.