Combating Scientific Disinformation on Gender-Affirming Care

Area of Science:

• Medicine
• Psychology
• Law
• Public Health Policy

Background:

• Scientific disinformation is intentionally used to influence public opinion and oppose factual evidence.
• Disinformation campaigns have targeted gender-affirming health care (GAC) for transgender and gender-expansive youth, leading to legislative bans.
• Traditional expert interventions in health policy struggle to keep pace with rapid legislative changes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To challenge scientific disinformation surrounding GAC for transgender youth.
• To develop and implement a rapid-response strategy to counter health policy misinformation.
• To assess the impact and challenges of academic-led advocacy in health policy.

Main Methods:

• A cross-disciplinary team (medicine, psychology, law) produced rapid-response rebuttal reports.
• Reports were developed within 3-10 weeks of GAC bans in Texas, Alabama, and Florida (2022).
• Reports were disseminated online to engage legal, policy, and advocacy stakeholders.

Main Results:

• The rapid-response reports were cited in legal challenges to GAC bans in Texas, Alabama, and Florida.
• The team filed amicus briefs and submitted public comments to health agencies.
• Reports garnered media coverage, amplifying their reach and impact.

Conclusions:

• Rapid-response academic reports can effectively challenge scientific disinformation in health policy.
• This model provides a framework for addressing misinformation in other critical health areas.
• Academic-legal-policy collaboration is crucial for timely and impactful interventions.