Youth gender dysphoria treatments to continue even as new guidelines are being rolled out
Panels are being formed to assess care for youths with gender dysphoria under new guidelines
Children and adolescents in Singapore who are receiving treatment for gender dysphoria are to continue their care under the same clinicians, despite new guidelines for managing this condition being introduced on May 5. Health Minister Ong Ye Kung made the announcement in a parliamentary reply on August 5, assuring that the interruption to existing treatment could cause significant harm.
The new guidelines now require psychological support as the first step in treatment, before other interventions such as puberty blockers. Instead, patients will be assessed and managed by a multi-disciplinary care team, which will also involve a review panel. Ong emphasized that this approach would ensure patients receive appropriate care while avoiding a painful and irreversible path for those without gender dysphoria.
The review panels will comprise various experts, including psychologists, counsellors, social workers, independent psychiatrists, endocrinologists or paediatricians, and surgeons when necessary. The Ministry of Health is working with public healthcare institutions and private providers to develop treatment pathways in line with the guidelines.
Ong stressed that the diagnosis and treatment decisions need to be based on robust clinical evidence and the patient's best interests. He also noted that the guidelines align with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence's 2020 review in England and have been endorsed by the Academy of Medicine, Singapore.
Written by urgent.news from Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
