The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is telling health care providers, risk managers, and state medical boards to immediately update their treatment protocols for minors with gender dysphoria.
In a letter on May 28, the agency said that it expects federally funded health care groups to follow its review that outlines the most up-to-date science to guide policies for pediatric gender dysphoria treatment. Its comprehensive review was published earlier this month and found sufficient international evidence that puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries pose significant risks, including irreversible sterilization.
After releasing its review, HHS said the recommended treatment plan is psychotherapy, citing it as a noninvasive alternative to “endocrine and surgical interventions for the treatment of pediatric gender dysphoria.” Some of the other cited risks include lower bone density and heart disease….