21 Sep The American Academy of HIV Medicine Statement on Transgender Care and Gender-Diverse Care
Transgender care, gender-diverse care, and gender-affirming care is life-saving health care. As an organization whose members are comprised of health care providers and clinicians, the Academy unequivocally supports transgender care, gender-diverse care, and gender-affirming care as well as the professionals who provide it. We uphold the sanctity of the patient-provider relationship and the individual decisions regarding the provision of health care that the patient and their provider make together.
Additionally, providing health care for the whole person, including gender-affirming care, is an integral part of status-neutral care delivery and the federal Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative. We will not achieve the goal of ending the HIV epidemic without providing comprehensive medical care for transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) individuals. The Academy’s mission is to ensure health care professionals have the resources needed to provide prevention, treatment, and care for those with or at risk for HIV and related conditions to achieve optimal health. In upholding our mission, we support gender-affirming care for TGD individuals, because barriers to comprehensive gender-affirming care exacerbate existing health inequities and prevent TGD individuals from accessing HIV prevention and treatment services that may be appropriate for them.