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Father of ‘Evidence-Based Medicine’ Supported Trans Treatment for Minors Without Reviewing What He Agreed To

Is it backed by evidence? Maybe. Is it thorough? Definitely not.

Dr. Gordon Guyatt, who coined the phrase “evidence-based medicine” in 1991, has made some waves regarding gender issues. On August 14th, he signed a letter stating that prohibiting clinicians from expressing their gender is “merciless.” He appeared on a podcast where co-host Mia Hughes remarked that he signed a statement confirming that gender-affirming care is “medically necessary.”

To which Guyatt responded, “That’s ridiculous. We didn’t say anything like that… I would never say it’s ‘medically necessary.’” He insisted, challenging Hughes to find that phrase in his statement, adding, “If you do, you’ll need to jump off the bridge.”

This conversation seems to have sparked a lot of interest online, with one tweet highlighting the irony of Guyatt’s situation, as he is considered the pioneer of evidence-based medicine but recently faced backlash from trans activists for some of his remarks.

Later, Guyatt indicated that he had made personal contributions to legal efforts aiding gender diversity because community advocates had suggested it. He admitted, “Congratulations, because that’s not my paragraph, and I didn’t read it carefully,” when asked about his signature on a statement he hadn’t fully scrutinized.

Co-host Stella O’Malley pressed him on whether he signed something contradictory to his views, to which Guyatt replied, “That’s inappropriate. I should have read the last line; it wasn’t my focus.” He seemed a bit self-deprecating, saying, “I was dope sometimes,” then shifted to emphasize his broader message. Yet, it was clear that his overall stance remained confused.

Guyatt and his colleagues scrutinized gender-affirming therapies in 2025, such as hormone treatments and surgeries, with their conclusions being rather stark. They cited studies indicating significant uncertainty about the effects of treatment for adolescents experiencing gender dysphoria. One study stated there was still considerable uncertainty regarding the impact of hormone blockers, while another mentioned potential risks associated with gender-affirming hormone therapy.

Their findings suggested highly variable evidence surrounding the outcomes of treatments, which ultimately led to condemnation from gender activists, prompting Guyatt’s controversial statement. The report began with concerns raised by members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community regarding systematic reviews of gender-affirming care.

It seems likely that Guyatt will be remembered more for this conflict than for his scientific contributions.