U.S. News
Utah Faces Debate Over Protecting Children
Clear Facts
- Utah lawmakers are considering whether to maintain protections banning transgender procedures for minors, based significantly on a new state-commissioned report.
- Watchdog group Do No Harm argues the report is flawed, alleging it misrepresents scientific evidence and overlooks risks associated with these procedures.
- The Utah report approved guidelines from groups like WPATH and the Endocrine Society, which have been criticized for downplaying potential harms to children.
Utah legislators are set to make a decision on continuing a ban protecting youths from transgender medical procedures, relying heavily on a recent report from the Drug Regimen Review Center at the University of Utah.
Do No Harm issued a memo criticizing this report, claiming it fails to provide a true systematic review and ignores severe, life-altering side effects of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones.
“Its shortcomings include failure to adhere to the fundamental standards of a systematic review, prioritizing the quantity of evidence over its quality, uncritically relying on guidelines from purported experts, overlooking significant life-altering adverse effects, and consulting advisors, some of whom support ‘gender-affirming care’ for minors,” wrote Do No Harm medical director Kurt Micelli and gender ideology program director Michelle Havrilla.
The watchdog group contends that the Utah report relies on anecdotal evidence and did not properly evaluate the quality of studies.
According to Micelli, the report was “terribly flawed” and lacked the necessary critical assessment, unlike true systematic reviews.
The report defers to guidelines from organizations like WPATH and the Endocrine Society, both criticized for minimizing risks associated with transgender procedures for children.
“The Utah report treats the WPATH guidelines ‘as gospel’ and offer ‘no critical evaluation,'” said Micelli.
The report also suggests the effects of puberty blockers are reversible, despite evidence showing these drugs can harm bone development and may affect neurological health.
Relevant health risks, such as infertility and sexual dysfunction from cross-sex hormones, were ignored or downplayed according to Do No Harm.
“The Utah Report neglects significant adverse effects that are associated with GAHT, including the life-altering effects of infertility/sterility and sexual dysfunction,” stated the memo.
Additionally, Do No Harm highlighted concerns of potential conflicts of interest among medical advisors recommended in the report’s amendments.
The legislature’s final decision may impact longstanding protections for Utah’s youth.
Stay informed as Utah weighs crucial decisions about the future of children’s healthcare protections.
Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.
