Progress on the Road to Better Medical Care for Transgender Patients

In December 2013, Gardner and Safer reviewed the state of medical care for transgender patients, highlighting the need for better healthcare access and knowledgeable providers. They provided guidelines for hormone treatment, with transgender men aiming for testosterone levels within the normal male range and transgender women aiming to reduce testosterone to the female range while keeping estradiol levels below a certain threshold. Regular monitoring was recommended. The review identified significant barriers to care, such as lack of insurance coverage and absence of transgender medicine in medical curricula. It also touched on the fixed nature of gender identity and the ineffectiveness of attempts to change it. For transgender children and adolescents, a cautious approach with puberty blockers was advised. The document concluded that while more research is needed, the published guidelines were a step towards improving care for transgender patients, and stressed the importance of including transgender medicine in medical education.