The Minister of Health Orazio Schillaci has ordered an inspection of the Careggi hospital in Florence to verify the treatment of children with gender dysphoria and the use of the drug triptorelin. This comes following a parliamentary question presented by Forza Italia group leader in the Senate Maurizio Gasparri, who raised concerns about the hospital’s administration of the drug.
Triptorelin is a drug used to accompany experiences of gender variance during childhood and adolescence, blocking some aspects of pubertal development. It is used to help those who do not feel comfortable in the gender socially assigned at birth or do not conform to the social rules associated with that assignment.
The inspection began on Monday, January 23 and is ongoing. According to Gasparri, there are concerns that the Careggi hospital is supplying triptorelin without respecting the procedures identified by the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA) for its administration.
Gender dysphoria is a complex issue that affects some minors, leading to a persistent desire to identify with a different gender. The treatment for gender variance during childhood and adolescence is a multidisciplinary process, involving psychologists, child neuropsychiatrists, psychiatrists, endocrinologists, and pediatricians.
The guidelines set forth by the National Observatory on Gender Identity (ONIG) provide for a flexible approach to taking charge, depending on the individual case and age of the minor. With the arrival of puberty, the use of puberty blockers such as triptorelin allows time for minors to explore their identity in a more serene way and make decisions about their future.
In 2019, AIFA included triptorelin in the list of medicines that can be paid for entirely by the National Health Service. However, concerns have been raised about the use of triptorelin at the Careggi hospital, prompting the Ministry of Health to request a re-evaluation of its use.
The inspection at Careggi has no punitive intent, but seeks to gain knowledge about the paths being implemented for the treatment of gender dysphoria. The Minister of Health has also requested the National Committee of Bioethics and AIFA to re-evaluate the use of triptorelin and consider its elimination from the drugs dispensed by the National Health Service.
In response to the concerns raised by Gasparri, Careggi has sent a detailed report to the ministry, stating that triptorelin is only administered to boys already in puberty, and not to children. The report also details the supervised procedures initiated by the families of the minors involved.
It is evident that more attention and care is needed in the treatment of gender dysphoria in minors, and the outcome of the inspection at Careggi hospital will shed light on the current practices and procedures in place.