EU Policy, Medical Ethics, and the Treatment of Gender Dysphoria among Italian Minors:

An Analytical Inquiry

Abstract

This study investigates how gender dysphoria (GD) among children and adolescents is addressed within the Italian healthcare system, situating the analysis within broader European legal and political frameworks. Although clinical guidelines recommend that young patients be evaluated and treated by qualified specialists—including psychologists and child neuropsychiatrists—activist organisations without medical training have increasingly shaped therapeutic pathways, often framing medical interventions, such as puberty suppression or surgical procedures, as the primary response to gender-related distress. Using a multi-method, case-focused framework, the study draws on documentary review, publicly available interviews, and media content analysis to examine treatment protocols at Florence’s Careggi Medical Center, a leading institution within Italy’s healthcare system. Peer-reviewed literature on adolescent development, medical ethics, and clinical standards informed the analysis, ensuring conclusions were grounded in established scholarship. Evidence suggests that activist voices have, in some cases, supplanted medical expertise in shaping diagnoses and treatment decisions for minors. The analysis further considers the 2021 European Parliament Resolution, which endorsed the right of minors to pursue gender transition even without parental authorisation. Although GD is not classified as a pathological condition, it requires careful oversight due to uncertain long-term implications of puberty blockers and the possibility that medical transition may not be suitable for every case. Findings underscore the urgent need to restore evidence-based medical practice, ensuring that minors receive appropriate, comprehensive, and ethically responsible care.