Politicians should have no role in making decisions about what kind of healthcare young people can access.
BOSTON, May 2, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Fenway Health issued the following statement in response to the report released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services May 1, 2025 titled Treatment for Pediatric Gender Dysphoria Review of Evidence and Best Practices:
We all want young people to be healthy and get the health care that they need. Transgender and gender diverse youth, parents and healthcare providers work together and do their best to develop a care plan that meets the care needs of that individual. This is based on the evidence base of peer-reviewed medical research, on the education, training, and experience of the healthcare provider, and on a shared decision-making process between the patient, the patient's family, and the provider. Politicians should have no role in making decisions about what kind of healthcare young people can access.
Research shows that transgender adolescents who access gender affirming care subsequently experience lower rates of psychological distress, lower rates of gender dysphoria and improved psychological functioning, and lower rates of depression and suicidality. Pubertal suppression was associated with fewer emotional and behavioral problems among transgender youth. Another study found high levels of satisfaction and low levels of regret among 220 transgender youth an average of 4.86 years after starting puberty blockers and 3.4 years after starting hormone therapy. The overwhelming majority (97%) continued to access gender affirming care.
The HHS report, coming from an administration that is seeking to outlaw gender affirming care for minors, promotes "psychotherapy" as the sole option to treat gender dysphoria. This is conversion therapy by another name, similar to what the religious right used to promote as "ex-gay therapy." Like ex-gay therapy, ex-trans therapy doesn't work and causes harm to those subjected to it. A study of youth who had experienced sexual orientation or gender identity change efforts found that they "were more than twice as likely to report having attempted suicide and having multiple suicide attempts" than youth who had not been subjected to conversion therapy.
The HHS report states that "This Review of evidence and best practices…seeks to provide the most accurate and current information available regarding the evidence base for the treatment of gender dysphoria in this population, the state of the relevant medical field in the United States, and the ethical considerations associated with the treatments offered." Yet the HHS report's authors declined to consult with the American Academy of Pediatrics, "an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults."
If HHS really cared about transgender youth, it would have funded the Adolescent Trials Network (ATN) study of transgender youth to help trans youth avoid HIV infection. Instead HHS pulled this study from consideration the day before an NIH study group was to meet to consider funding it. About 20% of new HIV infections occur among 13-24 year olds, the focus populations of the ATN, and transgender women have the highest rates of HIV infection of any demographic group. If HHS really cared about transgender youth, it would not have stopped a smoking cessation research intervention project with transgender and gender diverse people. Transgender and gender diverse people smoke at 2-3 times the rate of the general population, and most people start smoking when they are young—nearly 90% before age 18, and 99% before 26.
Media Contact
Christopher Viveiros, Fenway Health, 6179276342, [email protected], www.fenwayhealth.org
SOURCE Fenway Health
Share this article