Title: The Endocrine Society to Update Clinical Guidelines for Gender-Affirming Care: A Routine Process Dedicated to Individualized Transgender Healthcare
The Endocrine Society, a leading global medical association for endocrinologists, announced on Monday its intention to review and update its clinical guidelines for gender-affirming care. This decision, which has been in the works for some time and is not politically motivated, will provide guidance for the organization’s 18,000 members – doctors, nurses, educators, and students dedicated to hormone-related health – on best practices for delivering appropriate care to transgender and gender-diverse individuals.
H2: Understanding Gender-Affirming Care
Gender-affirming care refers to evidence-based, individualized medical treatment that uses a multidisciplinary approach to help individuals transition from their assigned gender – the one they were designated at birth – to their affirmed gender – the gender by which they choose to be identified. This customized approach can include providing mental health support, offering advice for individuals and their families (particularly when dealing with younger patients), and prescribing hormones when appropriate.
H2: The Role of the Endocrine Society’s Guidelines in Gender-Affirming Care
The society’s guidelines lay out the appropriate treatment for transgender and gender-diverse individuals, providing a standardized framework for professionals to use when addressing this unique healthcare need. They establish best practices around hormone therapy, describe the importance of mental health support, and emphasize the crucial role an endocrinologist plays in a patient’s broader individualized care.
H2: The Importance of Gender-Affirming Care for Transgender Youth and Adults
While most trans youth do not receive hormone therapy, some do. Some adults may consider surgery, but it is not recommended for children. Gender-affirming care is essential for both trans youth and adults to ensure they receive the most appropriate and effective treatment, tailored to their individual needs.
H2: The Revision Process for the Endocrine Society’s Gender-Affirming Care Guidelines
The committee responsible for revising the guidelines has already held its first meeting, with chairperson Dr. Joshua Safer leading the effort. The last time this committee updated their gender-affirming care guidelines was in 2017; they previously did so in 2009. The current committee – made up of Endocrine Society members and non-members who are gender-affirming care experts – will examine the latest scientific research to determine the best approaches for providing appropriate care to patients. This process is expected to take approximately two years, with another year required for the revised guidelines to be finalized and published.
H2: Controversies and Opposition Surrounding Gender-Affirming Care
Despite being considered the medical gold standard treatment, gender-affirming care has been restricted or banned outright in over a dozen states. Some conservative state officials label this practice as child abuse, creating political sensitivity and even threats to gender-affirming care specialists. However, every major US medical association – including the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, and the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry – agrees that gender-affirming care is clinically appropriate for children and adults.
H2: Conclusion
The Endocrine Society’s decision to update its clinical guidelines for gender-affirming care is a routine process aimed at providing the best possible care to transgender and gender-diverse individuals. As new scientific research emerges, these guidelines will ensure that healthcare professionals remain informed and equipped to deliver individualized care tailored to each patient’s unique needs.
