Washington, DC [US], January 29 (HBTV): The White House has issued an executive order prohibiting federal funding, support, or promotion of medical procedures intended to transition a child's sex, citing concerns over their long-term consequences.

The order states that medical professionals are engaging in 'chemical and surgical mutilation' of children under the 'radical and false claim that adults can change a child's sex through a series of irreversible medical interventions.'

The administration describes these procedures as dangerous, asserting that affected children may suffer from permanent sterilisation and lifelong medical complications.

According to the order, 'Countless children soon regret that they have been mutilated and begin to grasp the horrifying tragedy that they will never be able to conceive children of their own or nurture their children through breastfeeding.' It states that the federal government will take all available steps to 'rigorously enforce all laws that prohibit or limit these destructive and life-altering procedures.'

The order provides definitions for key terms, stating that 'child' refers to any individual under 19 years of age, and 'chemical and surgical mutilation' includes puberty blockers, hormone treatments, and surgeries designed to align a child's physical characteristics with a gender identity different from their biological sex. The order also states that such interventions are sometimes referred to as 'gender-affirming care.'

In an effort to address concerns about what it calls 'junk science,' the order criticises guidance from the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), stating that the organisation 'lacks scientific integrity.' It directs federal agencies to rescind or amend all policies relying on WPATH's guidance, including its 'Standards of Care Version 8.' Furthermore, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) is required to publish a review within 90 days assessing existing literature on best practices for children experiencing gender dysphoria, rapid-onset gender dysphoria, or identity-based confusion. The order mandates HHS to use all available methods to improve data collection regarding minors seeking medical transition procedures.

The executive order also orders an end to federal funding for institutions providing gender-transition procedures. It states, 'The head of each executive department or agency (agency) that provides research or education grants to medical institutions, including medical schools and hospitals, shall, consistent with applicable law and in coordination with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, immediately take appropriate steps to ensure that institutions receiving Federal research or education grants end the chemical and surgical mutilation of children.'

The Secretary of HHS is directed to take 'all appropriate actions to end the chemical and surgical mutilation of children,' which may involve altering regulations related to Medicaid, Medicare conditions of participation, clinical-abuse assessments, mandatory drug reviews, and essential health benefit requirements. Additionally, the order calls for the immediate withdrawal of HHS's March 2, 2022, guidance titled 'HHS Notice and Guidance on Gender Affirming Care, Civil Rights and Patient Privacy.' The Attorney General is tasked with drafting new guidance protecting whistleblowers who expose non-compliance with the executive order.

The order includes directives for the Department of Defence regarding TRICARE, the military's health insurance program, which covers nearly 2 million individuals under the age of 18. The Secretary of Defence is instructed to 'commence a rulemaking or sub-regulatory action to exclude chemical and surgical mutilation of children from TRICARE coverage and amend the TRICARE provider handbook to exclude chemical and surgical mutilation of children.'

It also mandates changes in federal employee health insurance programs. The Office of Personnel Management is directed to ensure that the Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) and Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) programs exclude coverage for paediatric transgender surgeries and hormone treatments. It further states that efforts should be made to 'obtain appropriate corresponding reductions in FEHB and PSHB premiums.'

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is also given directives to prioritise enforcement related to gender-transition procedures. The order instructs the Attorney General to 'review Department of Justice enforcement of section 116 of title 18, United States Code, and prioritise enforcement of protections against female genital mutilation.' Additionally, the DOJ is directed to take action against 'deception of consumers, fraud, and violations of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act by any entity that may be misleading the public about long-term side effects of chemical and surgical mutilation.'

The Attorney General is also instructed to work with Congress to draft legislation creating a private right of action for individuals subjected to gender-transition procedures as minors. This proposed legislation would include an extended statute of limitations to allow those who have undergone these treatments to seek legal recourse. Further, the DOJ is tasked with investigating 'child-abusive practices by so-called sanctuary States that facilitate stripping custody from parents who support the healthy development of their own children,' including exploring potential applications of the Parental Kidnapping Prevention Act.

To ensure compliance, the order mandates that within 60 days, agency heads must submit a combined progress report to the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy. The Assistant will coordinate regular meetings with agency heads to review implementation efforts and establish timelines for future action.

The order also includes a severability clause, ensuring that if any provision is held invalid, the remaining provisions will not be affected. It emphasises that implementation must be consistent with existing laws and appropriations and clarifies that it does not create new legal rights enforceable against the government or its officials.

(ANI)