Federal health officials say the society’s stance aligns with evidence showing low certainty and unclear risk-benefit for gender-related endocrine and surgical interventions in children and adolescents.
US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) leadership issued statements commending the American Society of Plastic Surgeons’ (ASPS) recent position opposing gender-related endocrine and surgical interventions for children and adolescents with gender dysphoria.
ASPS released its position statement on Feb 3, concluding that the evidence base supporting such interventions is “low quality/low certainty” and that “there is insufficient evidence demonstrating a favorable risk-benefit ratio for the pathway of gender-related endocrine and surgical interventions in children and adolescents.”
“We commend the American Society of Plastic Surgeons for standing up to the overmedicalization lobby and defending sound science,” says HHS secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr, in a statement. “By taking this stand, they are helping protect future generations of American children from irreversible harm.”
ASPS cited the HHS report, “Treatment for pediatric gender dysphoria: Review of evidence and best practices,” in reaching its conclusions.
When considering the principle of autonomy, the HHS report concludes that “respect for patient autonomy does not negate clinicians’ professional and ethical obligation to protect and promote their patients’ health.” The ASPS position statement similarly finds that adolescent autonomy does not obligate a medical professional to provide sex-rejecting procedures not supported by evidence.
“When the medical ethics textbooks of the future are written, they’ll look back on sex-rejecting procedures for minors the way we look back on lobotomies,” says Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Administrator Mehmet Oz, MD, in a statement. “I applaud the American Society of Plastic Surgeons for placing itself on the right side of history by opposing these dangerous, unscientific experiments.”
ASPS, which represents more than 11,000 physician members, stated that its position is informed by evidence suggesting many cases of pediatric and adolescent gender dysphoria may resolve without medical intervention. The society also emphasized ethical considerations related to performing irreversible procedures in the absence of strong evidence of benefit.
“Almost daily, another major hospital system in America is ending the tragic and irreversible practice of sex-rejecting procedures for minors,” says HHS general counsel Mike Stuart in a statement. “The American Society of Plastic Surgeons is bravely standing with Secretary Kennedy in courageously leading on this critical issue.”
ID 184942870 © Jhvephotos | Dreamstime.com
