American Society of Plastic Surgeons tells doctors to hold off transing children

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) has stated there is little evidence to suggest gender transitioning care is beneficial for children, and doctors should not be so quick to use it.In a statement published Wednesday, ASPS highlighted there was "low certainty" of any positive mental health outcome for children under the age of 18 receiving hormonal or surgical gender-altering interventions."ASPS recommends that surgeons delay gender-related breast/chest, genital, and facial surgery until a patient is at least 19 years old," the statement said.They say this is a forward-looking judgement due to evolving evidence — which now shows there is an "insufficient risk-benefit ratio for the pathway of gender-related endocrine and surgical interventions in children and adolescents.".This statement was sent to its more than 11,000 members noting most common surgeries in the US for gender surgeries (GS) were breast and chest surgeries.GS surgeries nearly tripled in the country between 2016 and 2019, according to research published by JAMA. “This is a vulnerable, adolescent population,” stated Scot Bradley Glasberg, former president of ASPS, as reported by the Washington Post.Bradley did not vote on the new guidance but has been involved in discussions about the ASPS' stance.“We are mindful that some of these surgeries are irreversible.”.The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has since come out with a statement applauding ASPS' public recommendation to protect children against receiving GS.“We commend the American Society of Plastic Surgeons for standing up to the overmedicalization lobby and defending sound science,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. said."By taking this stand, they are helping protect future generations of American children from irreversible harm.”In their report, the ASPS cited a HHS report, which showed the majority of children with gender dysphoria who undergo the natural course without receiving GS often end up not wanting it in the future. .Children's Hospital Minnesota (CHM) is halting transgender puberty blockers and hormonal treatments for all children.According to CBS News, this halt is "temporary" amid "increased federal actions directed at pediatric health systems like ours that provide this care."CHM says their "Gender Health" services are not closing and will continue to provide, "supportive care, mental health services and guidance regarding both medical and non-medical treatment options for our patients and their families.""This is not the decision we wanted to make. This is the decision we had to make to protect our hospital and our providers," the CHM said. The CHM hormonal treatment pause starts February 27.

American Society of Plastic Surgeons tells doctors to hold off transing children

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