Ensuring Care for Transgender Adolescents Who Need It: Response to ‘Reconsidering Informed Consent for Trans-Identified Children, Adolescents and Young Adults’

Abstract

Adolescent transgender care is increasingly surrounded by controversies and criticism. One of these concerns expressed in a review article by Levine et al. entitled ‘Reconsidering Informed Consent for Trans-Identified Children, Adolescents and Young Adults’ is the limited evidence base, especially of the Dutch studies which provided the first and mostly cited basis for medical intervention at a young age. This Response is written by the first author of two of those studies that showed effectiveness of the approach that included puberty blockers. The author rebuts several of the concerns that Levine et al.have regarding these Dutch studies, among which are the limited statistical improvements of psychological measures, the use of the Utrecht Gender Dysphoria and the selection of participants. The author further refers to several shorter term longitudinal follow up studies that have been published, which are not mentioned by Levine et al.. They also show improvement or stable psychological functioning and relief of gender incongruence. Finally, a careful evaluation and informed consent provision has always been recommended in all editions of the WPATH’s Standards of Care and are also part of the 8th version as well as the Endocrine Society guidelines. The author agrees therefore with Levine et al. that clinicians in transgender care should follow these international guidelines and provide such an assessment in order to ensure that medical interventions are appropriately provided for those transgender adolescents who need them.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.

Notes

1 ‘Non- participation (n = 15, 11 transwomen and 4 transmen) was attributable to not being 1 year postsurgical yet (n = 6), refusal (n = 2), failure to return questionnaires (n = 2), being medically not eligible (eg, uncontrolled diabetes, morbid obesity) for surgery (n = 3), dropping out of care (n = 1), and 1 transfemale died after her vaginoplasty owing to a postsurgical necrotizing fasciitis.’ (de Vries et al., 2014).