ICYMI: American Academy of Pediatrics UNANIMOUSLY Renews its Support of Gender-Affirming Care for Minors

New York Times reports that the powerful medical association has doubled-down on its approval of providing gender-affirming care to transgender patients, which proves the medical consensus is rock-solid given the extreme, dangerous climate right-wing extremists have created for healthcare providers

KEY POINTS:

• A recent article published in the New York Times reports that the American Academy of Pediatrics unanimously voted to renew its policies and position from 2018 on providing gender-affirming care to minors. Despite the massive pressure from right-wing radicals, The Academy affirmed gender-affirming treatments were essential and should be covered by health insurers.
• All 16 board members of the A.A.P., which represents 67,000 pediatricians across the United States, voted to reaffirm the 2018 guidelines-Mark Del Monte, the chief executive of the AAP said that "The board has confidence that the existing evidence is such that the current policy is appropriate," and has continued to condemn Republicans that use gender-affirming care bans as political fear-mongering.

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Medical Group Backs Youth Gender Treatments, but Calls for Research Review

By: Azeen Ghorayshi

The American Academy of Pediatrics backed gender-related treatments for children on Thursday, reaffirming its position from 2018 on a medical approach that has since been banned in 19 states.

But the influential group of doctors also took an extra step of commissioning a systematic review of medical research on the treatments, following similar efforts in Europe that found uncertain evidence for their effectiveness in adolescents.

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"The board has confidence that the existing evidence is such that the current policy is appropriate," said Mark Del Monte, the chief executive of the A.A.P. "At the same time, the board recognized that additional detail would be helpful here."

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All 16 board members of the A.A.P., which represents 67,000 pediatricians across the United States, voted to reaffirm the 2018 guidelines at a meeting on Thursday in Itasca, Ill. The vote comes at a time of intense political pressures on transgender people and the doctors who care for them.

The A.A.P. has roundly condemned the legislative bans as a dangerous intrusion into complex medical decisions between doctors and families, and has filed amicus briefs to support the many legal challenges brought against the bans by civil rights groups.

Much of the academy's support for gender-affirming care rests on its 2018 previous position statement, which said the treatments were essential and should be covered by health insurers. Transgender adolescents have high rates of anxiety, depression and suicide attempts, and early evidence suggested that gender-affirming care could improve their mental health.

Position statements like those voted on today remain valid for five years before they are up for review, at which point they may be reaffirmed, retired or revised in light of new evidence. One example of such a reversal is the academy's 2017 endorsement of infant peanut consumption, based on a landmark study showing that early exposure could help prevent lethal allergies.

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But Dr. Marci Bowers, a gynecologic and reconstructive surgeon and the president of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, was heartened by the A.A.P.'s endorsement of the care, which she said profoundly improves many children's lives.

"They know this population," said Dr. Bowers, who is a transgender woman. "They know the stories. Anecdotally, it's overwhelmingly positive."

She also pointed out that doctors in many specialties, and particularly in pediatrics, routinely use medicines that haven't yet been tested in large and rigorous clinical trials. And Europe, unlike many U.S. states, has not banned the care entirely.

"What they're saying is this population needs to be studied," she said, referring to European policies. "And I agree with that."

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