HHS report highlights weak evidence behind trans procedures

The Department of Health and Human Services released a report on Thursday highlighting what it characterized as the growing evidence of harms caused by medical interventions to treat gender dysphoria in adolescents. The department conducted a thorough review of best practices and described irreversible damage, like infertility, suffered by those who used puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, or surgeries.

National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya described some so-called transgender treatments as unproven and hailing from an activist’s agenda. The risks can’t be ignored when the evidence of benefits is so weak, according to the department’s statement. The report’s conclusion is consistent with evidence from medical professionals, while keeping the issue of ethics at the center of the review, the HHS noted.

How are people responding?

• Dr. Michael Artigues, president of The American College of Pediatricians, praised health officials for taking a bold stand to protect vulnerable children struggling with gender dysphoria. The American College of Pediatricians has warned the public for over a decade about the harms of transgender interventions on children, he wrote Thursday.

• The advocacy group Gays Against Groomers praised the report in a Thursday statement, saying that the war on children was now one step closer to ending.

• Advocates for Trans Equality’s health policy analyst, Sinead Murano-Kinney, claimed the report distorted scientific evidence for political and ideological motives. The report lacked objective assessment and strong methodological tools, and clashed with international research, Murano-Kinney alleged. This review was created solely to mislead the public and to justify discrimination, Murano-Kinney added.

• WORLD reached out to the American Medical Association and the National Center for Lesbian Rights. As of Thursday evening, neither organization had issued a comment.

Dig deeper: Read Lauren Canterberry’s report on an appeals court considering the ban on service members who identify as transgender.