The NL Medical Association is throwing their support behind their Alberta counterparts following proposed legislation regarding gender-affirming health care.

In a letter issued last week, NLMA President Dr. Gerard Farrell says they support the Alberta Medical Association’s calls for the province to stop imposing health care mandates that do not line up with evidence.

Alberta’s proposed legislation impacts trans and gender-diverse individuals under the age of 18, prohibiting them from accessing certain methods of care such as hormone treatment, puberty blockers, and gender-affirming surgeries.

The medical association in that province argues that the new policies will impose more harm on a group that is already marginalized.

Evidence shows puberty blockers are a temporary treatment that can be reversed, allowing youth to explore their identity. When it comes to gender-affirming surgery, those procedures are already limited to adults aged 18 and over across the country.

President�s Letter: NLMA Supports the AMA Call to Remove Government Interference from Medical Decision-making #AMA
Full letter: https://t.co/jCqObbxxGQ pic.twitter.com/AWLkW8sD0D

— NL Medical Assoc. (@_nlma) February 16, 2024