Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023
Have four major medical associations stated that gender-affirming care saves lives?
Four major medical groups support gender-affirming care for transgender youths, each citing research indicating the treatment can reduce the risk of suicide.
The American Academy of Pediatrics in August 2023 said transgender youth should have access to gender-affirming care.
The American Psychological Association in July asked congressional leaders to oppose bans on the care.
The American Medical Association in June supported protecting access to gender-affirming care.
The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in March 2022 opposed state restrictions on the care for youths.
Republican Wisconsin state lawmakers released a bill Sept. 27 to ban gender-affirming treatment for minors.
An April 2023 article in a peer-reviewed medical journal said it is “reasonably well established" that puberty blockers are "not accompanied by serious adverse effects.”
But “there is a need for research into the capacity of” youths “to understand the implications of the use of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones.”
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
- American Academy of Pediatrics Ensuring Comprehensive Care and Support for Transgender and Gender-Diverse Children and Adolescents
- Endocrine Society AMA strengthens its policy on protecting access to gender-affirming care
- American Medical Association Protecting Access to Gender Affirming Care
- Voter Voice Letter to congressional leaders
- AACAP Statement Opposing Actions in Texas Threatening the Health, Mental Health and Well-Being of Transgender and Gender Diverse Youth and Their Families
- WisPolitics Rep. Allen: Releases the ‘Help Not Harm Act’
- BJPsych Bulletin Transgender children and young people: how the evidence can point the way forward
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Fact briefs are bite-sized, well-sourced explanations that offer clear "yes" or "no" answers to questions, confusions, and unsupported claims circulating online. They rely on publicly available data and documents, often from the original source. Fact briefs are written and published by Gigafact contributor publications.
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