Medical guidelines for transgender healthcare 

  • World Professional Association of Transgender Health (WPATH) (URL)
    Standards of Care for the Health of Transgender and Gender Diverse People, Version 8  (pdf)​
  • The Endocrine Society (URL)
    Endocrine Treatment of Gender-Dysphoric/Gender-Incongruent Persons: An Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline (pdf)
  • The Fenway Institute: National LGBT Health Education Center (URL)
    "The Medical Care of Transgender Persons" (pdf)
  • ​Center of Excellence for Transgender Care at UCSF (URL)
    Guidelines for the Primary and Gender-Affirming Care of Transgender and Gender Nonbinary People  (URL)
  • ​Callen-Lorde Community Health Center
    Protocols for the Provision of Hormone Therapy  (URL)
  • Boston Medical Center Department of Medicine
    ​Practical Guidelines for Transgender Hormone Treatment (URL)
  • Project Health TransLine
    Clinical information, guidelines, and transgender medical e-consultation service for healthcare providers (URL) 



  • +         Information on effect of gender transition: Cornell University: What We Know - The Public Research Portal
              What does the scholarly research say about the effect of gender transition on gender well-being? (1991-2017 literature review) (URL)

National policies relevant to trans hormone therapy

  • Summary:  Medical Professional Consensus and ACHA statements (pdf)

  • American College Health Association (“is the principal leadership organization for advancing the health of college students and campus communities”. It is the governing charter organization of AAAHC, the accrediting agency of RIT SHC.) issued guidelines and a position statement:
    -  ACHA Guideline: Trans-Inclusive College Health programs (pdf) instructs Student Health Centers to "train clinical health providers on the initiation and continuation of gender affirming hormones"
    -  For its organizational protocols, ACHA issued a Position Statements (URL)  stating that " ACHA rejects all forms of intolerance and subtler forms of discriminatory conduct with respect to the following: age; gender identity, including transgender; [...] status."​

  • ​​American Medical Association is the largest medical society in the US. Its House of Delegates adopted Resolution 122 (pdf)
    The resolution states that “an established body of medical research demonstrates the effectiveness and medical necessity of mental health care, hormone therapy and sex reassignment surgery" for gender dysphoria and since “many of these same treatments, such as psychotherapy, hormone therapy, …[are] often covered for other medical conditions; [the] denial of these otherwise covered benefits for patients suffering from [Gender Identity Disorder] represents discrimination based solely on a patient’s gender identity; [d]elaying treatment for GID can cause and/or aggravate additional serious and expensive health problems, such as stress-related physical illnesses, depression, and substance abuse problems, which further endanger patients’ health”

  • The World Medical Association (that includes more than hundred national medical associations, including the American Medical Association) issued a Declaration [on] Professional Autonomy and Clinical Independence in 2008 that is its active policy, clearly stating the physician’s role (URL):
    - “The central element of professional autonomy and clinical independence is the assurance that individual physicians have the freedom to exercise their professional judgment in the care and treatment of their patients without undue influence by outside parties or individuals.”

  • The American College of Physicians issued A Physician Charter on Medical Professionalism (URL) and the Ethic Manual (URL) that declare principles, and obligations for physicians:​
    - Principle of primacy of patient welfare states that the patient interest is central and “societal pressures, and administrative exigencies must not compromise this principle.”
    - Commitment to improving access to care. “Physicians must individually and collectively strive to reduce barriers to equitable health care. Within each system, the physician should work to eliminate barriers to access based on […] social discrimination.”
    -  “Physician may not discriminate against a class or category of patients” even though a “patient’s preferences or interests may conflict with [those of] an institution”. 
    -  The “denial of appropriate care to a class of patients for any reason is unethical. […] Physicians have an important role to play in promoting health and human rights and addressing social inequities. This includes caring for vulnerable populations, such as the uninsured and victims of violence or human rights abuses. Physicians have an opportunity and duty to advocate for the needs of individual patients as well as society.” 
    ​
  • ​Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education - 2014 Policy: 
    Transgendered Healthcare at Colleges and Universities (URL) 
    "One of the issues of greatest concern—and perhaps some of the greatest policy implications—is that of transgender health care, [...]  Though typically small in number at any college or university, this population brings significant needs to the college or university environment. "
    "Colleges should be among the most sensitive and welcoming environments for these students."

Information about healthcare disparities

  • National Center for Transgender Equality: 2015 & 2022 US Transgender Survey (URL)
  • ​Lambda Legal's Transgender Rights Project booklet regarding health care discrimination against transgender patients:
    ​Lambda Legal Transgender Rights Toolkit -  Overcoming Health Care Discrimination (pdf)     
  • ​One article from many, published in BMC Public Health, about high risk of suicide in TG population and possible interventions:  
    "Intervenable factors associated with suicide risk in transgender persons: a respondent driven sampling study in Ontario, Canada", 
    Bauer GR, Scheim AI Pyne J, Travers R, Hammond R  (abstract)​
  • One lecture from many about the need for transgender care at colleges:
    NECHA/NYSCHA Combined Annual Meeting 2013 lecture:  by Jack, Turco, MD:
    "Why College Health Services Should Be Providing Medical Care for Transgender Students" (pdf)