On June 18, the Supreme Court upheld a Tennessee law that prohibits minors from receiving gender-affirming care, and opens the doors for other states to enact similar laws.
The case, United States v. Skrmetti, arose from the Biden administration suing Tennessee in 2023 over a bill that banned puberty blockers and hormone therapy as treatment for minors who identified as transgender. The ban was upheld in a 6-3 vote.
At least two medical associations have expressed their disappointment with the decision.
“The American Medical Association is disappointed in today’s decision that opens the door to further intrusion into patient care and harmful government interference into the practice of medicine,” Bobby Mukkamala, MD, president of the AMA, said in a June 18 statement shared with Becker’s. “All patients deserve access to high-quality, evidence-based medical care. Decisions about medical treatment must be made through a shared decision-making process between the patient and their physician, based on individual patient needs and in accordance with medical evidence and the standards of good medical practice. The AMA opposes efforts by the government to insert itself into the patient-physician relationship and interfere in clinical decision-making with no regard for the clinical standards of care.”
The Oregon Nurses Association shared similar sentiments in a statement shared with Becker’s the same day. It also emphasized that gender-affirming care, including puberty blockers and hormone therapy, is endorsed by every major medical organization in the nation. One study found that access to puberty blockers during adolescence was associated with a 73% lower risk of suicide in transgender adults.
“This ruling directly contradicts the overwhelming medical consensus and disregards decades of scientific research supporting this care as safe, effective, and lifesaving,” the release said. “ONA believes that all young people deserve access to medically necessary care, free from political interference. Today’s decision is not based on science, public health, or the well-being of children; it is rooted in ideology, and it places vulnerable youth at serious risk.”
