May 1, 2025

For More Information Contact: connect@acpeds.org

Atlanta, GA – Today, The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a groundbreaking report, which confirms the lack of evidence supporting the safety and efficacy of transgender interventions in children and adolescents. This report affirms what the American College of Pediatricians (ACPeds) has consistently warned for over a decade: medical interventions for gender dysphoria in youth are deeply harmful and unethical. Today’s HHS report provides recognition of these harms and highlights the urgent need for a return to ethical, evidence-based pediatric care.

Dr. Michael Artigues, president of ACPeds released the following statement:

“The American College of Pediatricians applauds HHS on taking bold steps to protect children who struggle with gender dysphoria. Today’s report confirms what we have warned since 2011— transgender interventions on minors, including puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries, cause irreversible harm. These practices defy decades of science on child development. Puberty is not a disease— its absence is. Medicine must do no harm. We call on leading medical organizations to promote policies that align with the findings of this report.”

ACPeds urges all medical organizations, hospitals, and lawmakers to take immediate action to protect vulnerable youth from these dangerous and irreversible interventions.

ACPeds has been raising the alarm on the harms of transgender interventions and surgeries on minors and has provided evidence-based information at biologicalintegrity.org.