Sweden s flag is seen near the Stockholm Cathedral in Gamla Stan or the Old Town district of Stockholm, Sweden, June 9, 2010. | Reuters/Bob Strong
Doctors at a prominent Swedish hospital that treats children suffering from gender dysphoria announced they will no longer prescribe cross-sex hormones or drugs that suppress puberty.Â
The Karolinska University Hospital said that as of April 1, puberty blockers would no longer be given to youth younger than 16. In the hospitalâs statement, first released in March outlining the policy change and later reported to English-speaking media Wednesday, the medical institution noted that the experimental measures have come under increased scrutiny in recent months amid rising numbers of youth patients being treated.
Sweden, arguably one of the most politically and socially liberal countries in the world, has nonetheless taken a giant step toward protecting gender dysphoric minors and their mental, emotional, and physical well-being.
The Society for Evidence Based Gender Medicine reported on Wednesday that the Astrid Lindgrenâs Childrenâs Hospitalâan arm of the one of the most renowned hospitals in Sweden, the Karolinska University Hospitalârecently released a policy statement that included new guidelines for the care of youths with gender dysphoria under the age of 16. More…
By Michael W. Chapman | May 7, 2021 | 10:32am EDT
(Getty Images)
(CNS News) In a prudent step in its treatment of young patients with sexual dysphoria, a prominent hospital for children in Sweden has decided to stop using puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones in patients younger than 16.
The hospital cited the lack of evidence for the long-term consequences of the treatments for its decision, consequences that could include cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, infertility, [and] increased cancer risk.
The new policy at the Astrid Lindgren Children s Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden, which went into effect on Apr. 1, says that treating gender-dysphoric children and adolescents with puberty-blocking drugs and cross-sex-hormones is controversial and has recently become subject to increased attention and scrutiny both nationally and internationally.
Sweden s flag is seen near the Stockholm Cathedral in Gamla Stan or the Old Town district of Stockholm, Sweden, June 9, 2010. | Reuters/Bob Strong
Doctors at a prominent Swedish hospital that treats children suffering from gender dysphoria announced they will no longer prescribe cross-sex hormones or drugs that suppress puberty.
The Karolinska University Hospital said that as of April 1, puberty blockers would no longer be given to youth younger than 16. In the hospital’s statement, first released in March outlining the policy change and later reported to English-speaking media Wednesday, the medical institution noted that the experimental measures have come under increased scrutiny in recent months amid rising numbers of youth patients being treated.
Even in liberal Sweden, a children s hospital said that “it has been decided that hormonal treatments (i.e., puberty-blocking and cross-sex hormones) will not be initiated in gender dysphoric patients under the age of 16.” (Photo: da-kuk/iStock /Getty Images Plus)
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Nicole Russell is a contributor to The Daily Signal. Her work has appeared in The Atlantic, The New York Times, National Review, Politico, The Washington Times, The American Spectator, and Parents Magazine.
Sweden, arguably one of the most politically and socially liberal countries in the world, has nonetheless taken a giant step toward protecting gender dysphoric minors and their mental, emotional, and physical well-being.