SEGM Launches Free CME Program for Pediatricians Amidst Evolving Pediatric Gender Medicine Debates

Dr. Julia Mason, MS MD, announced the availability of a new free Continuing Medical Education (CME) program, stating, "It's here! Free CME for pediatricians and more, with high quality information about pediatric gender medicine." The program, offered by the Society for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine (SEGM), aims to provide clinicians with evidence-based insights into the complex field of pediatric gender care. These courses are derived from lectures presented at SEGM's 2023 conference, "International Perspectives on Evidence-Based Treatment for Gender-Dysphoric Youth."

The CME initiative is designed for a broad audience, including pediatricians, family practitioners, endocrinologists, psychiatrists, and other healthcare providers involved in the care of gender-dysphoric youth. Accredited through a joint providership with Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, the program emphasizes understanding evidence-based medicine principles, analyzing evolving demographics, and comparing various clinical approaches to managing gender incongruence in young people. Its stated goal is to equip medical professionals with the latest research and critical appraisal skills in this rapidly developing area.

Dr. Mason, a board-certified pediatrician and a founding board member of SEGM, has been a vocal advocate for rigorous evidence review in pediatric gender medicine. SEGM's mission centers on promoting evidence-based principles and has been critical of existing guidelines that, in their view, support medicalized youth gender transition without sufficient scientific backing. The organization has previously called for a re-evaluation of guidelines by major medical bodies, including the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The launch of this CME program comes amidst ongoing international debates and controversies surrounding pediatric gender care. While some North American medical organizations advocate for "gender-affirming care," including puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones, several European countries have adopted more cautious approaches. Recent systematic reviews in nations like the UK, Sweden, Finland, and Norway have highlighted a low certainty of evidence for the long-term benefits of some interventions and identified significant potential harms.

Concerns have also been raised regarding the methodological rigor and transparency in the development of some clinical guidelines, with instances of alleged evidence suppression and circular referencing impacting professional trust. For example, recent German guidelines were downgraded from "evidence-based" to "consensus-based" due to reliance on insufficient evidence. SEGM's CME seeks to address these gaps by fostering a more critical, evidence-informed approach to pediatric gender medicine, emphasizing the need for robust research and ethical practice in this sensitive field.