Dr. Annelu de Vries

She found that their gender dysphoria had resolved. She also wrote that their psychological functioning had continued to improve over time, that their rates of clinical problems were now, quote, indistinguishable from general population samples. But Analu said that her study had a few limitations.

She found that their gender dysphoria had resolved. She also wrote that their psychological functioning had continued to improve over time, that their rates of clinical problems were now, quote, indistinguishable from general population samples. But Analu said that her study had a few limitations.

And she noted that because of the number of participants who had fallen out between the blockers paper and the follow-up paper, there was the possibility of selection bias. The kids who had remained could possibly have been the ones more likely to improve.

And she noted that because of the number of participants who had fallen out between the blockers paper and the follow-up paper, there was the possibility of selection bias. The kids who had remained could possibly have been the ones more likely to improve.

She wrote that ideally there should have been a randomized controlled trial, a study that would have included a group of gender dysphoric kids who didn't receive treatment for her to compare her results to.

She wrote that ideally there should have been a randomized controlled trial, a study that would have included a group of gender dysphoric kids who didn't receive treatment for her to compare her results to.

She said to deny treatment to kids who met all the criteria was not a, quote, neutral option. That without medical treatment, these kids would further develop characteristics that might bring them more distress, which could fuel depression and suicidality.

She said to deny treatment to kids who met all the criteria was not a, quote, neutral option. That without medical treatment, these kids would further develop characteristics that might bring them more distress, which could fuel depression and suicidality.

And that the group who did receive the intervention would be given the, quote, enormous and lifelong advantage of not being identifiable with their assigned sex at birth. In the conclusion of her second paper in the study, Analu said that the results signified the first evidence to support this new treatment protocol. She called the findings promising.

And that the group who did receive the intervention would be given the, quote, enormous and lifelong advantage of not being identifiable with their assigned sex at birth. In the conclusion of her second paper in the study, Analu said that the results signified the first evidence to support this new treatment protocol. She called the findings promising.

But her final words sound now like a bit of a warning. Clinicians should realize, she wrote, that it was not just the early medical intervention that led to the success of this study.

But her final words sound now like a bit of a warning. Clinicians should realize, she wrote, that it was not just the early medical intervention that led to the success of this study.

It was the approach they took.

It was the approach they took.

But even before Analu published her results, the protocol had been adopted into the industry's leading guidelines, the WPATH Standards of Care, essentially the go-to manual for doctors and other providers working in transgender healthcare.

But even before Analu published her results, the protocol had been adopted into the industry's leading guidelines, the WPATH Standards of Care, essentially the go-to manual for doctors and other providers working in transgender healthcare.

And providers from all over the world started visiting the Amsterdam clinic.

And providers from all over the world started visiting the Amsterdam clinic.

And as they brought the care back to their countries, not everyone was following the protocol.

And as they brought the care back to their countries, not everyone was following the protocol.