The American Society of Plastic Surgeons has just issued new guidance urging that gender-related surgical procedures not be performed on patients under the age of 19.
The American Medical Association, long a vocal advocate for transgender health care, quickly signaled support for the ASPS position on surgeries, a shift that underscores growing scrutiny of clinical evidence and legal pressures surrounding these types of procedures.
The ASPS, the nation’s largest professional organization of Plastic Surgeons with more than 11,000 members, formally recommended delaying chest, genital and facial procedures until a patient reaches at least 19, citing what it described as insufficient evidence about the benefits and risks for younger patients.
For more stories at your doorstep, subscribe to The Baptist Paper.
SIGN UP for our weekly Highlights emails.
“There is currently insufficient evidence showing a favorable risk-benefit ratio for gender-related surgeries in children and adolescents,” the Association said in the position statement issued Feb 3.
In a coordinated response, the AMA said it “agrees with the American Society of Plastic Surgeons that surgical interventions in minors should be generally deferred to adulthood” because the evidence base does not support definitive conclusions about long-term outcomes.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Bill Chitwood and originally published by alpolitics.com. Used with permission.
