Medical Group Refutes Harvard's Claim that Minors Aren't Undergoing Transgender Surgeries
A new national database has revealed that between the years 2019 and 2023, a total of 13,994 minors in the United States have received 'gender-affirming care'. Of these, more than 5,700 underwent surgical procedures.
Findings from the Do No Harm Research
Researchers from Do No Harm analyzed insurance claims filed across the country, discovering 5,747 unique patients who received gender-affirming surgeries, which can range from mastectomies to genital reassignment surgery. They also found 8,519 minors who have been prescribed puberty blockers and/or hormone replacement therapy. In total, more than 60,000 prescriptions were written.
The insurance claims amounted to a total cost of $119 million, according to the website, which offers a searchable database that enables parents to browse through over 225 hospitals.
The researchers stated that they were exceedingly conservative in their estimates. As a result, their database likely underestimates the actual number of children receiving 'care,' as reported by the NY Post.
"We’ve really been meticulous in trying to make sure that the data are as clear as possible and are as accurate as possible," said Dr. Stanley Goldfarb, the chairman of Do No Harm.
Detransitioners Share Their Experiences
Chloe Cole, a detransitioner who is now 19-years-old, underwent a double mastectomy at the age of 15.
"Once I even said that I was detransitioning, that I regretted it, in that I was talking about my experience and how transitioning damaged my life, the immediate response from my transgender friends in this community that I once looked up to, that I once saw as a second family... was now entirely against me," she told Fox News in January.
Contradicting the Harvard Study
The database entirely contradicts a study conducted in July by researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The study found 'little to no utilization of gender-affirming surgeries by transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) minors in the U.S.'
The study reported no gender-affirming surgeries performed on TGD youth aged 12 and younger in 2019. The researchers stated that this was expected, as current international guidelines do not recommend any medical or surgical intervention for TGD individuals before puberty.
"We found that gender-affirming surgeries are rarely performed for transgender minors, suggesting that U.S. surgeons are appropriately following international guidelines around assessment and care," said Elizabeth Boskey, instructor in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences. Lead author Dannie Dai, research data analyst in the Department of Health Policy and Management, added, "Our findings suggest that legislation blocking gender-affirming care among TGD youth is not about protecting children, but is rooted in bias and stigma against TGD identities and seeks to address a perceived problem that does not actually exist."
However, the findings from the Do No Harm database contradict these claims.
The Harvard report accompanying the study also noted that currently, half of US states have bans on 'gender-affirming' care for minors.
Bottom Line
The recent findings from the Do No Harm database challenge previous claims about the prevalence of gender-affirming surgeries among minors in the United States. The data suggests that these procedures are more common than previously thought, raising questions about the validity of earlier studies and the current guidelines for gender-affirming care. What are your thoughts on this matter? Share this article with your friends and discuss it. Don't forget to sign up for the Daily Briefing, which is available every day at 6pm.
