Karolinska Institute
The Karolinska Institute in Sweden is one of the most prestiguous medical research centers in the world. Beginning in April 2021, the Karolinska Hospital has ended the use of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones for gender dysphoric adolescents under 16 years of age. The hospital cites the Swedish review of the literature of adolescent opposite-sex imitation, which found a lack of evidence, and the Bell Judgement as background to the decision.
The decision highlights how the treatements…:
“…are potentially fraught with extensive and irreversible adverse consequences such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, infertility, increased cancer risk, and thrombosis. This makes it challenging to assess the risk/benefit for the individual patient, and even more challenging for the minors and their guardians to be in a position of an informed stance regarding these treatments.”
For minors 16-17 years old cross-sex hormones or blockers may only occur in the context of clinical trial. The hospital will continue to offer psychological and psychiatric care to gender dysphoric adolescents.