Penna Dexter

The U.S Department of Health and Human Services has issued its final version of a review of evidence pertaining to transgender “medical” interventions for minors. This 410-page report serves to update and fine-tune a review published in May. The May report, ordered by President Trump, describes significant harms to children from puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgical transitions. Risks include sterility, decreased bone density, and altered brain function.

The May report was immediately hit with criticism from LGBT activist organizations and mainstream medical organizations.

The American Academy of Pediatrics blasted the preliminary report as misrepresenting “current medical consensus” and as lacking information about methodology, authorship, and potential conflicts of interest.

The final version of the report was subjected to a peer review process. The nine peer reviewers came from both sides of the gender-transition-for-minors issue. A lengthy supplement contains the peer reviewers’ comments as well as the authors’ responses to those comments.

Family Research Council’s Washington Stand reports: “One peer review of the report came from two methodologists at the Belgian Center for Evidence-Based Medicine, who ‘commended its robust methodology.’”

According to The Washington Stand, the updated version “lays to rest” transparency concerns by publishing the list of contributing authors which includes researchers at prestigious institutions such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Duke University, and Baylor College of Medicine. TWS points out that “eight out of ten authors hold a doctoral-level degree.” One author, Dr. Leor Sapir, Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute stated, ”Most of the authors are liberals, Democrats. They wouldn’t vote for Trump if he forced them to.”

Advocates describe these draconian protocols as gender affirming care. In a press release announcing the updated report, the American College of Pediatricians uses a more accurate term for them: sex rejecting procedures.

This report does not make policy recommendations. It simply documents damage done. Hopefully, it marks a turning point and causes us to stop this abuse of young people.