Florida Board of Medicine

Josie felt like Florida lawmakers were threatening her health care and ability to live authentically at school. So she left. Many families of trans youth are plotting their exits as well.

The families of four children in St. Johns, Alachua, Duval and Orange counties say the rules implemented by the state's medical boards singles out minors and blocks them from obtaining medically necessary care.

Florida doctors could lose their medical licenses if they order puberty blockers, hormone therapy or surgery for minors diagnosed with gender dysphoria, under a Florida Board of Medicine rule that took effect.

Florida's medical boards moved forward with rules that would prevent doctors from providing such treatments to children. The bills would go further by placing a prohibition in state law.

Florida's medical boards refused to scrap a transgender treatment ban for minors, and the osteopathic panel removed an exception for clinical research trials at the request of the health department.

State medical boards will host a joint public hearing on Feb. 10 in Tallahassee. Teens and their families seeking transgender care say they are confused and anxious about proposed restrictions.

There are procedural steps two state medical boards have to complete before the rules are finalized. But there have already been reports of disruptions to care, and some families say the stress is traumatizing.

The proceedings against Dr. Joseph Dorn, who was one of the first Florida doctors eligible to order medical marijuana for patients, have been closely watched in the state’s medical cannabis community.

The rules prohibit doctors from prescribing puberty-blocking, hormone and hormone “antagonist” treatments for patients under 18. The rules would not apply to children already receiving treatments.

Members of the Florida Board of Medicine and Board of Osteopathic Medicine voted on a draft rule that would ban doctors from providing gender-affirming treatments to people younger than 18.