Medical professionals are prescribing cross-sex drugs to patients without in-person evaluations through several telehealth companies that boast of fast and easy access to hormonal drugs and other transgender-related care.
Several companies have cropped up in recent years offering cross-sex medical treatments, euphemistically referred to as “gender-affirming care,” through telehealth programs in order to facilitate and expedite the gender transition process. The companies are part of a push against so-called gatekeeping in the medical community that can delay patients’ access to cross-sex treatments like hormones and surgeries, but a growing cohort of medical professionals are drawing attention to the health risks of rushed transitions.
The transgender medical company Plume offers online appointments for individuals seeking cross-sex hormones and advertises that most patients get their drugs sent to a pharmacy the day of their appointment. Plume also offers medical letters of support, which can be used to obtain cross-sex surgeries and to persuade insurance companies to cover gender-related procedures.
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