The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently reaffirmed its 2018 position on youth who suffer from gender dysphoria while simultaneously calling on a systematic review of the evidence of how to treat such children.
Looking back on the AAP’s 2018 statement, as pediatricians, we both agree with the 2018 report that we “must protect youth who identify as Transgender and Gender Diverse from discrimination and violence.” It’s our job to protect children.
However, we do not think the 2018 report is following the millennia-old tenet of “do no harm.” The conclusions included in that 2018 position recommend that youth who identify as transgender have access to “comprehensive, gender-affirming, and developmentally appropriate health care” that is covered by insurance.
The increasing call in the U.S. for the daily release of hormones into young bodies, or extensive surgical procedures, with scant evidence of benefit while our European counterparts are restricting gender transitions for youth is doing more than raising eyebrows. This push, plus demands that it be covered by insurance at a time when so many other claims are being denied is not only potentially causing long-term harm to young people, but further eroding trust in our U.S. medical system.
Those AAP conclusions were published a year after Dr. Rachel Levine, who identifies as transgender and is now a high-level HHS secretary, sent an email to the co-founder of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia gender clinic, writing: “I know that we had discussed at US PATH [Professional Association for Transgender Health] the possibility of gender confirmation surgery for young people under 18 years of age. This could include top surgery for trans young men and top and bottom surgery for trans young women. Is there any literature to support this protocol?”
The reply: “I’m not aware of existing literature but it is certainly happening. I think we’ve had more than 10 patients who have had chest surgery under 18 (as young as 15) and 1 bottom surgery (17).”
Despite the lack of evidence, nearly $17 million tax dollars has been spent on pediatric gender transition treatments in recent years in Pennsylvania alone.
“There is not a full range of evidence to support the treatments that we’re using,” said the director of the gender clinic at Chicago’s largest children’s hospital. His reward for not following evidence-based medicine is a $5.7 million grant from the NIH.
The FDA recently issued a warning against using some of the puberty blockers due to short-term neurological side effects. No one knows the long-term effects of introducing the hormones to a young brain or what the forever term use will bring to the future of these patients.
Despite the warnings, 14,726 minors with gender dysphoria started hormone treatment from 2017 through 2021. And 832 irreversible surgeries were performed on minors for gender dysphoria between 2019-2021. These numbers are expected to rise as gender dysphoria diagnoses have tripled between those years, at an accelerating pace.
When the AAP is going about reviewing the evidence, they—and all pediatric professionals—might want to fully dissect a survey that is often cited by proponents of gender transitions for minors: The Report of the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey. The survey of 27,000 individuals recruited responses using advocacy organizations, and of note, detransitioners were excluded. There were other jarring red flags in this survey: There were no baseline mental health questions of survey respondents, respondents were asked to recall how they felt years earlier, and 25% of respondents came from 3 states (California, New York and Washington). Remarkably, the survey asked respondents if they sought any of a list of “gender-affirming care” and excluded them if they did not seek hormones. Colloquially, we call that cherry-picking.
The survey, put together by a group of self-professed social justice advocates, had very low numbers of adolescents, and yet has been used in recent years to justify the increase in medical treatment of gender-questioning youth.
The Journal “Pediatrics” relied on this survey for a paper in 2020.The same physician author from the 2020 Pediatrics paper used the survey for another “second look” paper. This 2022 second look was funded by the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, itself supported financially by pharma corporations Arbor and Pfizer. Both produce hormones used in gender transitions.
The 2022 second look of the survey spawned a series of sensational headlines. “Trans teens who get gender-affirming hormones are healthier and happier as adults,” trumpeted Today. “Transgender children who get hormone therapy enjoy better mental health,” claimed USA Today.
It’s good that the AAP is performing a systematic review. They would do well to be transparent, thorough and honest. They might want to comment on the perverse incentives that could have led to over-treatment in years past. And above all, they must remember: Primum non nocere.
Nikki Johnson, M.D. is a Cleveland-area pediatrician.
Republished with permission from Fox News by Nikki Johnson.
The omission was intentional as the organization fully supports the woke agenda. The doctors supporting the whole trangender movement stand to literally make millions of dollars each. So unfortunately, the children who fall victim to these hucksters may end up mutilated for life.
While I do believe that Mother Nature screws up occasionally and there is a “rare” case of a person being born in the wrong body. Not the apparent epidemic there is today. This is, IMO, brain washing by the Left for God knows what reason to ruin children’s lives – maybe part of their decrease the population agenda. These kids will not be able to reproduce, and far too many commit suicide. I am a woman – born female and never wanted to be a male. I was a tomboy. I played with cap pistols and dolls – at the same time. There were no other girls near my age in my neighborhood, so the boys kindly let me be Annie Oakley or the pioneer woman in the wagon train – or whatever female role we invented. Today some teacher would have tried to convince me I was a boy. This has got to stop!
Nothing should be done to children below 18 yrs of age! Lots of kids go through wonderings back and forth when young but it disappears as they get closer to being teens. I think it is criminal to allow medical intervention at such young ages or to allow teachers to discuss and encourage such wonderings in school.
Dr? Levine is still a male with male genes no matter what he thinks he is. And HE makes a really UGLY woman. Doctors who perform that kind of surgery on a minor should be arrested.
If you are Mengele minded doctor, mutilating children is the ultimate opportunity to practice your craft.
I don’t believe that transgendered children are happier and healthier as adults. I think they have the same physical and mental problems as before, with more added on. How old was Dr. Levine when he transitioned? Child or adult? It makes a difference if he was over the age of consent. And yes, “first, do no harm” is being ignored.
I do not approve of dollars spent this way. Help them to find the truth and live in the reality of who they are . This is the kindest thing we can do. This is a moment to f confusion. You don’t alter things you help them find their beauty.
This is a move to get rid of masculinum and femininum and to create a neutrum I am sure when mother nature has enough she will step in China or Russia certainly are not deliberately destroying their army
This country has always supported protecting children. No one is saying they will NEVER be able to transition but that they need to be older and more mature. Parents are being influenced by unscrupulous people with political agendas or financial incentives. Or who threaten to take their children away from them for not going skiing with this fad. What is the rush? If they still want to do this after they are of age, well, I don’t approve but I suppose we have to let them ruin their lives.
Not when parents do not have the good sense to protect their minor children from these charlatans and Ronald reagan would have agreed.
In the 90s, these same doctors wanted every child on ritalin; today its “gender reassignment”! What’s next? At birth sex changes?
Only the REAL Ronald Reagan, but it was not his time to live to be President.
The current ronald reagan should put a w on the end of his monniker being used now for “wannabe”
Primum non nocere….DO NO HARM!
These doctors/physicians are violating their oath. No question about it. If a few of them were held professionally and financially accountable we would see a lot less.
RC100
Last statement in paragraph 3 says it all…”recommend that youth who identify as transgender have access to “comprehensive, gender-affirming, and developmentally appropriate health care” that is covered by insurance.” Their stance is what I believed it to be all along — $$profits. If not covered by insurance, the hospital or surgeon would have to bear to cost. So would they then NOT recommend gender-affirming health care? How much more two-faced can they be?
Does Trump mean AMAC is criminal?
I am a criminal
so are the people who run this site.