According to undisclosed court documents, Biden administration officials pressured the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) to quickly issue its Standards of Care version 8 (SoC 8) guidelines and remove the minimum age recommendation for transgender surgery, despite a clear lack of scientific evidence.
Canadian sex researcher James Kanter wrote in an unpublished expert report that WPATH viewed “evidence-based” medicine as a threat to its “policy goals” and allowed its S0C-8 to be influenced by “political pressure, litigation, legislative advocacy strategies, and the financial self-interest of WPATH members.” Internal WPATH communications included in Kanter’s report reveal that Assistant Secretary of Health Rachel Levin pushed the development of SoC 8 to advance the Biden administration’s political goals, even having staff members suggest removing certain age listings that “could lead to devastating legislation for transgender care.”
“Just spoke with Admiral Levin today and he is very supportive of SOC 8 as always, but is also very eager for its release to ensure its integration into the Biden Administration's U.S. health policy,” reads a message from a WPATH member. “Now, let's get to work!!!”
Another message said Levine's enthusiasm “should be taken as a directive from the U.S. government to do what is necessary to complete the project immediately.” (Related article: Supreme Court agrees to consider Republican-leaning states' ban on sex-reassignment surgery for children)
🚨BREAKING: Documents released in lawsuit over Alabama ban on pediatric gender reassignment therapy @WPATH
One of the exhibits is an export report by a Canadian sex researcher. Dr. James CantorHe has testified as a paid expert in support of state bans.
Reference: 🧵 pic.twitter.com/cbNU6HkopD— Benjamin Ryan (@benryanwriter) June 25, 2024
Despite these concessions, internal communications revealed that some WPATH members responsible for developing the guidelines shared concerns that young people were receiving “sloppy” medical care and were worried about the strength of the evidence. Moreover, members privately acknowledged that there was “no consensus” on the use of puberty suppressants.
“I'm not sure what the 'consensus on the value of blockers' is that WPATH members and mentors need to uphold,” one message read. “From my understanding, there is no global consensus on 'puberty blockers.'”
Kanter further alleges that even though some members of the SoC-8 committee served as paid expert witnesses in litigation regarding transgender surgery, WPATH did not ask members to identify any conflicts of interest.
Moreover, one member of the development group later explained at the WPATH annual conference that the minimum age recommendation was removed “to protect physicians from lawsuits if they decide to treat someone below the specified minimum age.”
“Again, this reflects both the existence and harmful effects of financial conflicts of interest that WPATH and its members faced during the development of SOC-8,” Cantor wrote.
Kanter's report is part of the Baugh v. Marshall lawsuit, which challenges Alabama's ban on sex-reassignment surgery for minors. WPATH released SoC 8 in September 2022, rescinding its previous recommendation. set Various age restrictions procedure.
The White House, HHS and WPATH did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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