Doctors’ Group Endorses Restrictions on Gender-Related Surgery for Minors
Nytimes reports that the American Medical Association said gender-related surgical procedures for minors generally should be deferred until patients reach adulthood. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons issued a similar recommendation, saying such surgeries should be delayed until age 19.
The plastic surgeons’ society said its review of existing science found the research on long-term outcomes for minors to be insufficient and of low quality, with some studies hinting at possible treatment complications and harms. A review of hospital data from 2016 through 2020 identified about 3,600 patients aged 12 to 18 who had received gender-related surgery, the vast majority mastectomies.
The A.M.A. said it continued to support treatment for minors seeking gender-related care but concurred with the plastic surgeons given the sparse research on surgical risks and benefits.