Doctors in Sweden have been reported to stop the use of cross-sex hormones--otherwise known as puberty blockers--due to its serious health risks
The Christian Post reported that doctors from the Karolinska University Hospital of Sweden have announced they will stop prescribing drugs or hormones that "suppress puberty" for children confused about their gender or are suffering from gender dysphoria.
According to the Christian Post, the hospital released a statement last March regarding the matter. The statement defines the changes in the hospital's policy, which they explained to a local press last May 5 was due to the "increased scrutiny" they faced for the increasing treatments given to the young.
"These treatments are potentially fraught with extensive and irreversible adverse consequences such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, infertility, increased cancer risk, and thrombosis," the statement said.
"This makes it challenging to assess the risk/benefit for the individual patient, and even more challenging for the minors and their guardians to be in a position of an informed stance regarding these treatments," it added.
As per the statement, the change in policies took effect April 1 and clarified that it does not affect current treatment given to patients under 18 years of age in so far as psychological and psychiatric care is concerned.
The statement also pointed out that patients already undergoing cross-sex hormones or puberty blocker treatments must carefully assess their situation whether their "treatment should be stopped or continued" based on consultations with their treating provider.
The statement stressed the need to "present appropriate information bout the uncertainty in the state of evidence regarding long-term effects and potential risks of treatment" so that the patient, their guardian, or their parents could make "well-informed decisions" on the matter.
The Christian Post added that those who wish to continue with the treatment must have court approval first prior to the administration of the puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones.
The Christian Post also reported that the Society of Evidence-Based Gender Medicine welcomed the change in the Swedish policy, saying it is the first time a country departed from the World Professional Association for Transgender Health's guidance. The Society pointed out that Sweden's new policy parallels with Finland's that focus on providing psychological interventions instead of medical ones.
"WPATH has long positioned itself as the world authority in transgender health. However, in recent months, several countries' health authorities have conducted their own reviews of the evidence and found the evidence insufficient to justify early medical interventions promoted by WPATH's guidelines," the Christian Post quoted the Society of Evidence-Based Gender Medicine in saying.
"Sweden's new policy is consistent with Finland's recently revised guidelines, which were changed to prioritize psychological interventions and support rather than medical interventions, particularly for youth with no childhood history of gender dysphoria (presently the most common presentation)," the Society pointed out.
In its website, the Society of Evidence-Based Gender Medicine cited the same trend is happening in North America where laws are already being implemented to ban hormonal interventions of gender-confused youths.
"As the global awareness of the low quality of evidence of the benefits, and the potential harm of the 'affirmative' medical interventions in gender-dysphoric minors grows, non-invasive alternatives for ameliorating the minors' distress, such as the provision of ethical psychological treatments and support, are expected to come into focus," the Society revealed.
