\n<\/p>\n
The American College of Pediatricians cautioned<\/a> against \u201cgender-affirming care\u201d for transgender adolescents as current literature on the subject does not offer \u201clong-term evidence\u201d that medical intervention \u201cbenefit their mental well-being.\u201d<\/p>\n In a position paper on trans-identifying adolescents, the group asserted, \u201cThere are no long-term studies demonstrating benefits nor studies evaluating risks associated with the medical and surgical interventions provided to these adolescents,\u201d adding, \u201cThere is no long-term evidence that mental health concerns are decreased or alleviated after \u2018gender affirming therapy.’\u201d<\/p>\n The group noted that many individuals who have sought treatment later regret doing so, and \u201cseek to align their gender identity with their sex.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut what is appropriate treatment for \u2018transgender\u2019 adolescents,\u201d the group asked. \u201cWill social transition, medications, and surgical intervention prevent or treat depression and suicidal behaviors?\u201d<\/p>\n They noted that most of the research on the topic is \u201cseverely flawed.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSmall sample sizes, biased recruitment, patients lost to follow up, and extremely short durations of follow-up are some of the most common problems seen in the literature. In addition, studies on long-term follow up are, of necessity, reporting on individuals who \u2018transitioned\u2019 years ago when, in order to undergo medical and surgical \u2018transition,\u2019 the patients had to be adults who had received intense psychological evaluation.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe recent surge in the adolescent population identifying as transgender is unprecedented, and no long-term follow up studies are obviously available,\u201d they noted. \u201cEven so, the long-term follow up research on transgender adults is concerning for its inability to show improvement in mental health.\u201d<\/p>\n The push for \u201cgender-affirming care\u201d in educational literature has also been condemned.<\/p>\n In January, more than 150 health professionals signed<\/a> an\u00a0open letter<\/a>\u00a0to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), calling for it to remove a textbook advocating for \u201cgender-affirming care.\u201d<\/p>\n The textbook,\u00a0Gender-Affirming Psychiatric Care<\/em>\u00a0(GAPC), has been described as the \u201cfirst textbook dedicated to providing affirming, intersectional, and evidence-informed psychiatric care for transgender, non-binary, and\/or gender-expansive (TNG) people.\u201d<\/p>\n According to the letter\u2019s signatories, \u201cThe book\u2019s claims of being evidence-informed are untenable. GAPC omits any in-depth analysis of the evidence to date, dismisses \u2018scientific neutrality\u2019 as \u2018a fallacy,\u2019 and chooses authors with the correct \u2018lived experiences\u2019 and \u2018community impact of prior work over academic titles.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n The health professionals then called for the APA to \u201cwithdraw\u201d the textbook.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n