Transgender Healthcare for Kids: A Closer Look with UK’s Cass Review Report

The issue of healthcare for transgender children is a topic of great debate, especially in the United States where many states are restricting access to care for these individuals. A new report from the UK, called the Cass Review, has shed light on this matter by suggesting that much of the evidence doctors rely on to treat transgender kids is weak. This raises questions about the best approach to healthcare for transgender children.

To address these issues, Professor Stephen Russell, Dr. Cal Horton, and Dr. Ada Cheung offer insights into the science behind transgender healthcare. They explore various aspects of care for transgender children, including the challenges surrounding their treatment, the impact of puberty blockers on mental health, the effects of hormone therapy on mental health, and the frequency of people “retransitioning.”

For those seeking mental health resources, including suicide lifelines, there are options available worldwide. The Trans Lifeline offers peer support through their hotline at 1-877-565-8860 while Trevor Project provides crisis support services to LGBTQ young people through their hotline at 1-866-488-7386 or text service by texting ‘START’ to 678-678. Listeners can also find a transcript of this episode and links to previous episodes related to transgender healthcare and misinformation.

This episode was produced by Meryl Horn and Wendy Zukerman, edited by Blythe Terrell, fact-checked by Eva Dasher, consulted by Rebecca Kling, and mixed and sound designed by Bobby Lord. The music was composed by Bobby Lord, Bumi Hidaka, and Peter Leonard. The podcast expresses gratitude to all researchers and individuals who contributed to this episode. Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original podcast that can be listened to for free on Spotify or other podcast platforms