An opinion piece in Epoch Times asks "Why is it that psychiatric medications are not part of the discussion when shooters are in the news? And it states that 65 million people are prescribed drugs for dealing with mental illness and that there is a taboo on doing studies. Although the author had no solution, the title of the article below it offers a clue: "What if we stopped asking who's right and started asking what works?" This is where pediatrician Dr. Jill Simons, executive director of the American College of Pediatricians,
seems to point the best way forward. Consider these excerpts from her 2024 article, "Evidence over Ideology: Gender-Distressed Children Deserve Nothing Less":
"Many gender-distressed children have
autism or pre-existing psychological co-morbidities such as anxiety and depression. These conditions must not be ignored in favor of a myopic focus on gender dysphoria. They must be considered and treated, and they must inform every pediatrician’s recommendation as to how best to help a child navigate gender dysphoria—without introducing drugs or procedures with life-altering effects."
"We also cannot ignore the rising number of
people who detransitioned and regret their attempts to “transition” from their biological sex—a feat that can never be done at the cellular level even if they initially changed their outward appearances. These brave souls are
sharing their stories of
catastrophic loss—both mental and physical—hoping to dissuade others from being misled down the painful path of regret.
As pediatricians, we took an oath to help kids, not harm them. Our compassionate care of children is based on science, evidence, and ethics. That’s why we, together with seventeen other medical organizations, launched the
Doctors Protecting Children Declaration. The coalition represents over 75,000 physicians and healthcare professionals through co-signing medical organizations, more than 5,000 individual doctors, and healthcare professionals in fifty-nine countries. Together, we are a strong voice for children, a vulnerable population in need of the utmost protection from adults. We advocate that US medical professional organizations follow the science—and Europe’s example—and immediately stop the
promotion of harmful “gender transition” interventions and surgeries for minors distressed over their biological sex. We champion comprehensive mental health evaluations and therapies that can identify and address underlying psychological conditions that often accompany gender dysphoria.
When it comes to children’s health, ideology should never override evidence. Children who are distressed about their biological sex need evidence-based care that facilitates their journey to adulthood, keeping them mentally
and physically intact."
The applicable Scripture includes Matthew 19:4.
