CMA Champions Safe, Ethical Care for Gender Dysphoria Patients
April 14, 2026
By Tim Millea, M.D.
Over recent years, growing evidence has highlighted the harms associated with “gender transition” interventions, particularly for children and adolescents. As concerns increase, the Catholic Medical Association (CMA) remains committed to pursuing scientific and ethical truth in order to protect vulnerable individuals from lifelong consequences.
Catholic healthcare professionals affirm the inherent dignity of every person, offering care with respect and compassion while maintaining that attempts to alter the biological reality of male and female are misguided. CMA continues to advocate for safe, effective, and ethical approaches to patient care, recognizing the presence of Christ in each individual.
To that end, CMA has been involved on many fronts leading in the public arena over the past several years. The association released its very important Position Paper, The Ideology of Gender Harms Children, at the its Annual Educational Conference in September 2023. At the 2024 Annual Educational Conference, CMA became the first medical organization to provide the opportunity for several de-transitioners to tell their story in a panel discussion format. This very impactful session led to ongoing efforts to identify and promote clinics that will provide necessary care for these individuals, as they are often unable to access needed help, both medically and emotionally.
Over the years, CMA has also submitted multiple amicus briefs related to cases involving gender issues. Most recently in Chiles v. Salazar, resulting in an 8-1 Supreme Court decision that protects the right of mental health counselors to explore non-transition options with their gender dysphoric clients.
The association also submitted comments to the Federal Trade Commission regarding the questionable practices used by transgender clinics to promote their interventions. CMA has encouraged the Department of Health and Human (HHS) Services to cease using the terminology “gender-affirming care” to describe these methods. Subsequently, the HHS has adopted the term sex-rejecting procedures, which CMA supports.
Most recently, the Catholic Medical Association submitted comments to the FDA requesting a hearing to review the harms of estrogen given to young males, and has written a letter with allied organizations calling for the CDC to develop new medical codes to identify those with gender dysphoria that are either desisting or de-transitioning.
These and many other efforts related to gender dysphoria issues have also seen CMA increasingly partnering with other allied organizations, such as the American College of Pediatricians, Do No Harm, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the National Catholic Bioethics Center, Alliance Defending Freedom, the National Association of Catholic Nurses – USA, the Catholic Psychotherapy Association, the Ethics & Public Policy Center, ROGDBoys.org and the Christian Medical and Dental Associations.
The role of the Catholic Medical Association in these multiple and varied projects has not only been vitally important, but has often led the way in helping those who choose to de-transition. CMA physicians and health care professionals will continue to advocate for their patients in ongoing discussions about how best to care for those experiencing gender dysphoria.