Another one bites the dust. The American Medical Association (AMA) recently announced it no longer supports “gender-affirming surgeries” for children under 18. This marks another major medical organisation to shift policy on sex-rejecting procedures, also known as gender-affirming care.
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) was the first medical group to support delaying surgical procedures, such as sex-rejecting surgeries, until individuals reach adulthood due to a lack of sufficient evidence to justify the risks. This shift in stance notably followed the $2 million malpractice lawsuit won by detransitioner Fox Varian. It was the first malpractice case to be tried before a New York jury, where Ms. Varian sued her psychologist and surgeon for pressuring her into a double-mastectomy at age 16, despite her young age and mental health issues.
This sharp reversal by the AMA is surprising, given that it has been among the most vocal advocates for sex-rejecting procedures and transgender medicine, particularly opposing the current US administration’s crackdown on gender ideology and gender-affirming care.
“The AMA opposes the dangerous intrusion of government into the practice of medicine and the criminalisation of health care decision-making,” said AMA Board Member Michael Suk at the time. “Gender-affirming care is medically-necessary, evidence-based care that improves the physical and mental health of transgender and gender-diverse people.”
Below is another statement from their website doubling down on their opposition to restrictions on sex-rejecting procedures.
The American Medical Association (AMA) today strengthened its established position opposing the governmental intrusion into the practice of medicine that is detrimental to the health of transgender and gender-diverse children and adults.
Legislatures in 20 states this year proposed banning physicians and other health care professionals from providing medically necessary gender-affirming care to transgender and gender-diverse youth. In response to this legislative trend, physicians and medical students at the AMA’s House of Delegates meeting voted to significantly expand the organisation’s strong opposition to undue restrictions on medical care for populations that have been politicised in state legislatures.
In 2022, the AMA and other healthcare groups challenged a Florida rule that denied Medicaid coverage for gender-affirming treatments for trans individuals, citing it would cause irreparable harm. They also opposed an Arkansas law banning gender-affirming care for minors, emphasising that such care (sex-rejecting procedures) is safe when properly administered.
In a statement to National Review, the AMA said, “The evidence for gender-affirming surgical intervention in minors is insufficient for us to make a definitive statement… The AMA agrees with ASPS that surgical interventions in minors should be generally deferred to adulthood.”
While this shift in stance is positive news, it seems that legal pressure may have influenced the decision, and the situation isn’t resolved yet. The AMA and American Academy of Paediatrics continue to endorse hormonal treatments for minors, despite widespread evidence indicating their long-term risks and potential harm to individuals
