The Florida Department of Health has issued a press release discouraging all forms of medical and social treatment for ‘gender dysphoria’ in children and adolescents.
The release comes as a response to a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ‘fact sheet’ released in March titled “Gender Affirming Care and Young People.”
In the newly-issued statement, the Florida Department of Health responds to the claims made in the HHS ‘fact-sheet,’ stating: “systematic reviews on hormonal treatment for young people show a trend of low-quality evidence, small sample sizes, and medium to high risk of bias.” It goes on to note that 80% of those seeking clinical care for ‘gender dysphoria’ will eventually lose their desire to transition, citing a 2015 study in the International Review of Psychiatry.
The Department’s new guidance is being issued due to “the lack of conclusive evidence, and the potential for long-term, irreversible effects,” and goes on to list a number of recommendations to health care providers.
Under the new guidance, children under 18 “should not be prescribed hormone therapy or puberty blockers,” and gender reassignment surgery “should not be a treatment option” for children or adolescents. The Department goes on to reference a 2021 study from the Journal of Infant, Child, and Adolescent Psychotherapy, quoting: “encouraging mastectomy, ovariectomy, uterine extirpation, penile disablement, tracheal shave, the prescription of hormones which are out of line with the genetic make-up of the child, or puberty blockers, are all clinical practices which run an unacceptably high risk of doing harm.”
While the Department is also discouraging ‘social gender transition’ — a non-medical option in which a youth ‘presents’ as their chosen gender identity, and is ‘affirmed’ by family, educators, and peers — it does note that children and adolescents struggling with issues of gender identity should be provided social support by peers and family, and should also seek counseling.
“The Department’s guidelines are consistent with the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services age requirement for surgical and non-surgical treatment,” the release concludes noting the state was following the reviews and guidance other nations have already taken, including Sweden and France.
In May 2021, the Karolinska Hospital in Sweden halted the issuance of puberty blockers to minors under the age of 16, citing a lack of scientific support and research into their potential health implications. But in November of that same year, a report revealed the Hospital had been aware of over one dozen cases of secondary effects in youth patients who had been given puberty blockers.
In one of the cases, an 11-year-old girl who had been prescribed puberty blockers because she identified as a boy developed severe osteoarthritis in her spine after 5 years on the medication. The girl’s height was also stunted, and X-Rays demonstrated a number of abnormalities in her skeleton. The girl continued to receive puberty blockers even after doctors noted the impact it was having on her physical health.
After the November report began to spark backlash from concerned parents and members of the public, Karolinska physician Ricard Nergårdh spoke to local media and declared that puberty blockers were akin to chemical castration.
“It’s chemical castration. It can affect mental state in a way that [the patient] did not think and did not want.”
In March 2022, the National Academy of Medicine in France similarly urged “great medical caution” in the treatment of children and adolescents who claim to be transgender, citing an “epidemic-like” increase in demand for treatment which might be explained by other factors such as excessive social media engagement, an increased need for acceptance, or peer pressure.
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