Q: Can a transgender minor living in Texas receive gender-affirming medications from a state such as Colorado?
A:
It is theoretically possible for minors to obtain hormone blockers or hormone replacement therapy "off label" in Colorado for gender-affirming reasons. Colorado has not yet banned such off label use for minors. Because these medications can have long-term adverse effects on patients before and during puberty, it may be difficult to find reputable healthcare providers willing to prescribe such medications for many minors. I would not recommend obtaining such medications for this purpose from anything less than impeccably reputable healthcare providers.
There are a few current ongoing studies approved by the FDA evaluating the use of these medications in gender-affirming care. There have been discussions about not using a control group given a placebo instead of actual drugs. There have also been discussions about expanding the study population to adolescents as well as adults. There has not been any discussions as of yet about expanding it to pre-adolescents.
If you qualify and are an adolescent, you and your parents should explore the possibility of you participating in such a study. That way, you can be closely monitored by highly motivated healthcare professionals who have the most up-to-date knowledge of the effects of such drugs for the purpose you desire.
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
