Citation

Giordano S. J. Med. Ethics 2008; 34(8): 580-584.

Affiliation

CSEP/IMLAB, and the Manchester Institute of Science, Ethics and Innovation, The University of Manchester, Williamson Building, The School of Law, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK. simona.giordano@manchester.ac.uk

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, BMJ Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1136/jme.2007.021097

PMID

18667644

Abstract

Transgender children who are not treated for their condition are at high risk of violence and suicide. As a matter of survival, many are willing to take whatever help is available, even if this is offered by illegal sources, and this often traps them into the juvenile criminal system and exposes them to various threats. Endocrinology offers a revolutionary instrument to help children/adolescents with gender identity disorder: suspension of puberty. Suspension of puberty raises many ethical issues, and experts dissent as to when treatment should be commenced and how children should be followed up. This paper argues that suspension of puberty is not only not unethical: if it is likely to improve the child's quality of life and even save his or her life, then it is indeed unethical to defer treatment.

Language: en