Susanne Cabrera is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Medical College of Wisconsin. She is an active member of the McGee Center for Diabetes Research and the Gender Health Program Director at Children’s Wisconsin.

According to the Children’s Wisconsin website, the Gender Health Clinic is “committed to improving the lives of all children and youth in any facet of their health and well-being.” The clinic meets with children up to 16 years of age and “the most common care plans include ongoing psychological, emotional or social support.”

The website adds:

“In some cases, our services may include reversible puberty-suppressing hormone therapy, gender-affirming hormone therapy, surgical treatments, and speech/voice training.” 

However, health experts question the claim that puberty-suppressing hormone therapy is reversible.

A November 2022 New York Times article says, “There is emerging evidence of potential harm from using blockers, according to reviews of scientific papers and interviews with more than 50 doctors and academic experts around the world. The drugs suppress estrogen and testosterone, hormones that help develop the reproductive system but also affect the bones, the brain and other parts of the body.”

The article also says:

“When adolescents are using blockers, bone density growth flatlines, on average, according to an analysis commissioned by The Times of observational studies examining the effects.” 

Despite this, Children’s Wisconsin says pediatric endocrinologists with the Gender Health Clinic “may prescribe puberty-suppressing hormone therapy and gender-affirming hormone therapy (testosterone and estrogen).”

In March 2023, Cabrera—along with dozens of other professors—signed a “Statement Regarding Laws Restricting Gender Affirming Medical Care.” The statement focuses on two key points:

“First, there is consensus in the field, and amongst these signatories, that gender affirming medical care is important and beneficial for many transgender youth. Second, we do not support laws restricting access to gender affirmative care.” 

The signatories conclude their statement:

“We write this letter to make our position on this crystal clear: The signatories below all believe, based on the current evidence, that gender affirmative care is an important part of many transgender adolescents’ overall care, and that states and health systems should not restrict access to that care.”

 

Published – May 1, 2023