In a 5-0 vote on Aug. 22 the Alaska Medical Board approved a draft regulation aimed at holding medical providers accountable for performing transgender surgeries or administering cross-sex hormones to minors.

The draft now heads to the Alaska Dept. of Law for review, after which there will be a 30-day public comment period before the board can take a final vote to adopt the measure.

The draft regulation would add the following language to an extensive list of actions that are deemed “unprofessional conduct” by medical providers. This includes medical or surgical intervention to facilitate gender transition such as administering puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones or performing mastectomy, phalloplasty, or genital mutilation to a minor under the age of 18 years old. Exceptions would be made for treatments aimed at addressing congenital sex development disorders or procedures for physical injuries.

A public hearing immediately preceded the board’s unanimous vote in which a litany of radical transgender activists claimed that doctors should be free to engage in practices aimed a making gender-confused youth appear as the opposite sex.

One testifier was a biological female who had taken cross-sex drugs as a teen in order to appear as a male. The woman later had her breasts amputated and now sports a goatee. She argued that these sorts of services should be perfectly legal in Alaska.

Another testifier, Dr. Kevin Talow, works as a psychologist in Anchorage. He echoed many of the same points as the other transgender activists, claiming that “the research” does not support the medical board’s regulation change.

Most of those who spoke against the board’s proposed changes claimed the effort was politically motivated and wasn’t “following the science.”

Prior to voting, several board members refuted these claims.

In a separate action, the board approved a statement to educate Alaskans about the lack of regulation of abortion in Alaska, especially regarding late-term abortions.

Dr. Matt Heilala noted that there is a global shift when it comes to transgender care with countries around the world moving to ban or curtail cross-sex surgeries and hormonal interventions. He highlighted that more than half of all U.S. states have already limited or barred such practices.

In fact, More than 60 studies have been issued debunking claims that puberty blockers, cross sex hormones and mutilation surgery are beneficial for young people with gender dysphoria. Despite the move away from such practices, many Alaska medical facilities and providers continue to engage in issuing powerful hormonal drugs that can arrest or stunt natural puberty in gender-confused kids, and can lead to serious and life-altering medical side effects, including heart problems, reduced bone mass, interruption to natural brain development and permanent sterilization.

Dr. Heilala clarified that that the regulation, if adopted, would provide the Medical Board with an “option” not an “obligation” to sanction medical providers who engage in these practices.

Fellow board member, Dr. David Paulson, expressed his appreciation for the public participation, and then emphasized that the first duty of a physician is to “do no harm,” and argued that minors were simply too young to make life-altering decisions regarding transgender interventions.

Public board member David Wilson pointed out that it was members of the public who first approached the board asking it to address the practice of transgender procedures in Alaska. He emphasized that the board’s work on this issue was not politically motivated, and that each member had done a “tremendous” amount of research in the lead up to the vote.

If the proposed changes are adopted, those who violate the provisions could be disciplined or denied medical licenses to work in the State of Alaska.

Additionally, the proposed changes would define biological sex as “the male or female designation based on chromosomes, gonads, hormones, and genitals at birth, irrespective of psychological identity.”

Now that the draft regulation has been approved the Dept. of Law will review it. If approved the public will have a 30-day window to write letters to the Medical Board. The board will review the comments and suggestions and see if any changes are needed before adopting the regulation.

In a separate action, the board voted 5-0 to approve a statement aimed at educating Alaskans about the expansive nature and lack of regulation of abortion in Alaska, especially as it relates to late-term abortions.

The proposal states: “Alaska state law allows for elective late term abortions, up until the time of delivery. The Alaska State Medical Board believes this is not ethical medical practice and does not embody the values of Alaskans. Many Alaskans and even physicians are unaware of this. We encourage Alaskans to engage with their representatives and to advocate for new legislation to bring state law into alignment with community values on this issue.”

The State Medical Board consists of up to eight members, which are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the State Legislature. Board members can include five licensed Alaska physicians, one physician assistant and two other members with no direct financial interest in the health care industry.

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