Statement attributable to:
Ryan D. Mire, MD, MACP
President, ACP
WASHINGTON November 7, 2022 –Friday’s decision from the Florida Board of Medicine and the Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine to ban gender-affirming care for youth in the state will have irrevocable harm on the individuals who need that care. Policies that restrict access to health care for transgender persons reinforce marginalization and increase the risk of anxiety, substance use disorder, suicide, and other mental health issues for those it impacts. ACP and other major medical organizations consider gender-affirming care to be medically necessary because of the risk it poses to those individuals to be denied care.
This decision from the Florida boards is particularly troubling because while it comes from state medical boards, it runs counter to the recommendations of ACP and other major medical bodies. ACP has repeatedly been on the record opposing government interference against physicians providing evidence-based health care. We also strongly oppose the politicization of state licensing bodies to the same effect; restrictions and barriers to providing evidence-based, gender-affirming care that is in the best interest of the health and well-being of transgender youth will cause great harm to those individuals.
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Contact: Jacquelyn Blaser, (202) 261-4572, jblaser@acponline.org