US Surgeon Warns Against Gender-Affirming Care for Minors: Insufficient Evidence

On Monday, a renowned American surgeon advised against providing gender-affirming care to minors, stating that the long-term consequences are yet to be fully understood.

Physicians are driven by evidence when making decisions about patient care, but we must also consider compassion and interaction with patients. However, this is a newly-developing field, and there is not enough evidence specifically for adolescents at this time, according to Dr. Steven Williams, president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, who spoke on "Fox & Friends First," Monday.

Gender-affirming care can entail hormonal or surgical procedures that help the individual's physical appearance or hormonal profile better match their chosen gender identity.

Dr. Williams disagreed with proponents who claim that not using blockers or other gender-affirming care treatments during a child's natural puberty can harm their mental health.

Williams responds to the claim by highlighting the uncertain long-term consequences of such treatment.

He stated that safety is one of the things to consider, as these techniques are still in development and this is a new field for adolescents.

"Adolescent patients are a particularly vulnerable population, and we need to gather more data on the long-term and psychiatric outcomes. However, for adults, this type of care is already well-established."

Some who received gender-affirming care as young people have later tried to undo the changes, including detransitioners Chloe Cole and Prisha Mosley, who have spoken out about the potential risks of gender-affirming care procedures.

Williams stated that some treatments are more difficult to reverse than others. He mentioned top surgery, which involves reshaping the breasts to appear more masculine or more feminine, as one of the simpler procedures to reverse.

"Nevertheless, every surgery results in scars that must be managed," he stated. "In the US, the majority of adolescent surgeries are performed, and this is the main focus of these procedures."

The U.K.'s government has imposed restrictions on the prescribing and supply of puberty blockers after listening to concerns from medical officials about gender-affirming care for minors.