A Reckoning for the Endocrine Society?

Don't hold your breath.

Three compelling letters to the editor were published in the past month in the Wall Street Journal’s opinion section.

The first was written by the current President of the Endocrine Society, a doctor named Stephen Hammes. This letter was published July 4, 2023. In his brief letter he states that, “gender affirming care improves the well-being of transgender and gender-diverse people and reduces the risk of suicide.” He also references the 2017 Endocrine Society guidelines, guidelines that are in real need of updating.

A response was swiftly coordinated and signed by 21 clinicians and researchers from 9 countries. This response letter was published July 13, 2023. The clinicians directly address Dr. Hammes claim that gender transition reduces suicides saying, “it is contradicted by every systematic review, including the review published by the Endocrine Society, which states, “We could not draw any conclusions about death by suicide.”

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Surprisingly the Wall Street Journal is allowing the debate to continue and published a third piece yesterday. This was signed by 12 parents of gender diverse children and adolescents.

The parents rightfully state that they are, “concerned by the exchange” between Dr. Steven Hammes and the international experts that responded to his letter. They acknowledge that, “the doctors to whom we send our kids look to their professional medical associations for guidance” and these medical association seems to be unable or unwilling to consider the evidence.

First, an acknowledgement to the Wall Street Journal. They have demonstrated how an opinion page can work to facilitate debate and civil dialogue. They also published a letter from the kind of parents who are usually silenced in this debate, the parents who are seeking care for their children that is evidence based.

Second an acknowledgment to the parents. It is extremely difficult to be publicly named in this environment, in some states it is dangerous to do so. Hopefully the tide is turning so that the public can hear from more parents such as these.

In the parents letter, they pointed out rather crucial information, the current President of the Endocrine Society is co-director of a transgender center. Dr. Hammes works at the University of Rochester Medical Center. From their own website, “our providers also work hand in hand with our pediatric endocrinologists so that we are able to transition teens into the world of adult transgender care in a seamless fashion.”

There are currently around 18,000 endocrinologist who are members of the Endocrine Society. The vast majority of these endocrinologist do not practice transgender medicine. Most endocrinologists will never prescribe a puberty blocker for a reason related to gender. Most endocrinologists treat diseases of the endocrine system, often diabetes.

Dr. Hammes election as the President of the Endocrine Society was announced in January of 2022. It is not mentioned at all in the press release that Dr. Hammes has any connection to transgender health care. He will serve in the President elect position through 2024.

A simple search easily finds that the University of Rochester’s pediatric center, that Dr. Hammes works with hand in hand, and finds that they believe that Dr. Johanna Olsen-Kennedy is a reputable source and utilizes her resources on their website. You can watch Dr Johanna Olsen-Kennedy explain her views here to see why this is so troubling.

The medical interventions known as ‘gender-affirming care’ provided to children and adolescents in the United States relies on three documents for its continued existence. Documents written by three organizations: The Endocrine Society, The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH).

It was in 2017 that the Endocrine Society published their very low quality guidelines.

It was in 2018 that the American Academy of Pediatrics published their policy statement by Dr. Jason Rafferty. A document that is set to expire at the 5 year mark.

It was 2022 that WPATH published SOC 8. A document that dropped the ethics chapter in the draft edits but included a chapter on eunuchs.

What will the final months of 2023 hold for these organizations? 2024?

Don’t hold your breath.

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