Doctors back inquiry on kids’ trans care

More than 200 doctors in three days have added their names to a medicos’ petition urging Health Minister Greg Hunt to call a wide-ranging parliamentary ­inquiry into risky medical treatment of young people who believe they were born in the wrong body.

Nine child psychiatrists, nine paediatricians, and 14 university professors and associate professors are among the signatories so far to the doctors’ letter launched online on Sunday. They support a 16-page inquiry brief sent to Mr Hunt earlier this month by Western Sydney University professor of paediatrics John Whitehall. The plan is to present the petition to the minister before parliament resumes in mid-October.

Last month, Mr Hunt referred concerns to the Royal Australas­ian College of Physicians but Dr Whitehall and supporters do not believe the college is capable of running the comprehensive and independent inquiry needed.

Meanwhile, world-renowned child and adolescent psychiatrist Christopher Gillberg says he thinks unproven treatment of trans-identifying children is “possibly one of the greatest scandal­s in medical history”.


https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/doctors-back-inquiry-on-kids-trans-care/news-story/6f352bc99da430b194620a2605e8a50d