US paediatricians want ‘evidence not ideology’ for gender-confused kids

Paediatricians in the US are challenging their own professional body over its ‘affirming’ approach to transgenderism.

The medics are calling on the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), to conduct a rigorous and systematic review of the evidence and its guidelines on gender dysphoria.

Members accused the Academy of blocking a formal resolution on the issue by changing procedural rules and preventing comment.

‘Driven by ideology’

Dr Julia Mason, an advisor for the Society of Evidence-based Gender Medicine and one of the authors of the resolution, known as of Resolution 27, said she is disappointed that the “AAP is being driven by ideology rather than evidence”.

She told DailyMail.com that more and more colleagues want to “slow down” the mass handout of puberty-blocking drugs to gender-confused children.

The resolution pointed out that national health organisations in many countries are expressing “deep concerns” about medical and surgical interventions, and are reconsidering their approach.

Dr Quentin Van Meter, President of the American College of Pediatricians called the AAP’s current guidelines “the opinions of ideologues, not scientist physicians or members”.

Dialogue shut down

AAP members were prevented from commenting on the resolution and it was not discussed at the leadership conference due to procedural changes.

But documents leaked to DailyMail.com indicate members used the comment section of another resolution to express their frustrations and show support for Resolution 27.

One medic said the AAP is “endorsing great harm without high-quality or long-term evidence”, adding that the “UK, Sweden, Finland, France, Australia and NZ are all backing away from the model supported by the AAP”.

Another member said: “There is NO open dialogue on these medical treatments” and suggested that the AAP look at the findings of the Cass Review commissioned by NHS England.

Of great concern

Genspect, an international campaign group that supports an “evidence-based approach to gender distress”, published an open letter in response to the AAP’s handling of Resolution 27.

It warned that the “AAP is currently representing only one set of views” which it calls “affirmative care”, adding that many children have “received this care and are anything but thriving”.

The group said it is “alarming that the AAP appears to be preemptively suppressing debate by not allowing comments on ‘unsponsored’ resolutions”.