Puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones -- what's the harm?

Data from FDA shows drugs used as puberty blockers in young people have been linked to thousands of adult deaths, and one pediatrician says the federal agency needs to investigate further.

The data has been highly publicized by news outlets like The Christian Post, which says, "Between 2012 and June 30th of this year, the FDA documented over 40,764 adverse reactions suffered by patients who took Lupron."

Meanwhile, "More than 25,500 reactions logged from 2014-2019 were considered 'serious,' including 6,370 deaths," The Christian Post continues.

"It's quite a concern, isn't it," responds Dr. Michelle Cretella, executive director of the American College of Pediatricians, in an interview with OneNewsNow. "I think what's important for folks to understand is that the FDA has not proven causation. But it's the FDA's job to collect data, and they have a reporting system. So if any negative reactions occur to a patient who is taking this drug, those get reported, and it's up to the FDA to then go and investigate further."

Dr. Cretella thinks the most important thing would be to underscore that when young children are put on the puberty blockers, followed by cross-sex hormones, they will be permanently sterilized.

"So in terms of its real harm that we know we're causing, young children who are puberty blocked and then put on cross-sex hormones will not be able to have children," Dr. Cretella explains.

NBC News has dismissed the reports on the FDA data, saying "a viral fake news story linked trans healthcare to 'thousands' of deaths." That prompted Mercatornet.com, a website "navigating modern complexities," to publish an article asserting there is nothing fake about the dangers of transgender medications.