West Virginia medical professionals condemn bill that prohibits care...

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West Virginia medical professionals condemn bill that prohibits care to at-risk transgender youth

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/west-virginia-medical-professionals-condemn-bill-that-prohibits-care-to-at-risk-transgender-youth/ar-BB1iVXPY?ocid=windirect&cvid=e551685dc6d848fdb5fff135b4bd6f32&ei=25

Story by By LEAH WILLINGHAM (26 Feb 2024)

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Nearly 400 medical professionals in West Virginia have signed onto a letter condemning a bill advancing in the state House of Delegates that would bar transgender youth at risk for suicide from accessing medical interventions like hormone therapy.

Advanced to the full chamber by a House committee on Friday, the proposal would completely ban minors' access to hormone therapy and puberty blockers, removing a narrow exemption passed by lawmakers last year that allows kids at risk for self-harm and suicide to receive care.

The swell of support the letter has received from medical professionals in the 72 hours since the bill was approved by the House Health and Human Resources Committee is telling, he said.

"Frankly, I've never seen this level of support come together so quickly," Jarvis said. "Healthcare providers all across our state realize just how dangerous this bill is — they understand the stakes."

Up to 2% of adolescents in the United States identify as transgender, and in any given year a third of them may attempt suicide, the letter states. Research shows that transgender youth who access gender-affirming hormone therapy have 73% lower odds of considering suicide, it says.

"In many cases, this care can be life-saving," the letter reads.