Oregon Rolls the Dice on Transgender Care

I was glad to see the letter signed by 21 clinicians and researchers from nine countries that rejected the Endocrine Society’s claim that “gender-affirming care improves the well-being of transgender and gender-diverse people and reduces the risk of suicide” (July 14). In Oregon, activist groups and Democratic lawmakers used that claim to pass a new state law—signed by Gov. Tina Kotek right around when the letter was published—expanding access to these experimental, risky and sterilizing procedures.

The new law requires Oregon taxpayers to foot the bill and federal taxpayers to fund the medical-claims audit process. Oregon doctors also can now treat adolescents 15 years and older without parental permission or even notification. What’s happening in Oregon is a national scandal worthy of further investigation.