Washington, D.C.-The Catholic Medical Association has asked the U.S. bishops to stop using controversial sexual abuse education programs, aimed at teaching young children to protect themselves from abusers, in their dioceses.

            During the association's annual conference in Boston last month, the CMA released a 55-page study that condemned programs such as "Talking About Touching" as ineffective, out-of-step with child development, and not in keeping with the Church's teaching on the appropriate sex education of children, the National Catholic Register reported (Nov. 26, 2006).