A comprehensive study conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has cast a spotlight on the serious, long-term risks associated with medical interventions designed to alter a child’s biological sex. The peer-reviewed report, titled "Treatment for Pediatric Gender Dysphoria: Review of Evidence and Best Practices," was released by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, and it challenges the prevailing medical consensus on the safety and efficacy of such treatments.
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. took a firm stance against what he described as the medical establishment's misleading promotion of "gender-affirming care." Kennedy accused major medical institutions, including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, of betraying their Hippocratic Oath by endorsing treatments that he claims have caused "lasting physical and psychological damage on vulnerable young people."
The report details a variety of potential harms linked to the use of puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries in children. These include risks such as infertility, weakened bone density, metabolic complications, cognitive impacts, and psychiatric issues. HHS officials have pointed out that these findings echo previous concerns raised by the Trump-era Make America Healthy Again Commission, which warned against the overmedicalization of minors.
Amid intensifying debates in the U.S. over pediatric "gender-affirming care," some states have begun enacting or proposing restrictions on such medical interventions for minors, citing safety and long-term effect concerns. The international medical community has also contributed to this cautious approach. For example, England's Cass Review led the National Health Service to limit puberty blocker prescriptions after finding uncertain benefits from early hormonal treatments for children.
National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya commended the study for its scientific rigor, emphasizing the need for medical research to be guided by science rather than ideology. Assistant Secretary for Health Brian Christine called the report "an urgent wake-up call" and questioned the ethical implications of interventions that could compromise a young person's future fertility.
The study was commissioned by HHS with input from a diverse group of experts in medicine, bioethics, psychology, and philosophy. Contributors included Evgenia Abbruzzese of the Society for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine, Farr Curlin, MD, of Duke University, and Alex Byrne, PhD, of MIT. While the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Endocrine Society did not participate, the report underscores the necessity for evidence-based guidance in making medical decisions with lasting implications for children.
By advocating for a framework that prioritizes documented outcomes over ideological trends, the report aims to equip parents, healthcare providers, and policymakers with the necessary tools to navigate one of the most contentious topics in pediatric medicine today. The authors and HHS officials alike stress the importance of careful consideration, parental involvement, and solid scientific evidence before undertaking any interventions that can irreversibly change a child's body and future reproductive capabilities.
