More than 100 healthcare professionals and organizations have signed a declaration urging major medical associations to stop promoting potentially harmful transgender medical treatments for children and adolescents.

The "Doctors Protecting Children Declaration," announced at a press conference in Washington, D.C., was signed by doctors, nurses, psychotherapists, scientists, researchers, and others who express grave concerns about the current protocols for treating children experiencing discomfort with their biological sex, the Daily Signal reported.

The declaration highlights the serious long-term risks associated with medical interventions such as transgender surgeries, cross-sex hormones, and puberty blockers, including the possibility of sterility. The signatories argue that evidence-based research shows little to no benefit from these "gender-affirming" treatments in improving the long-term mental health of adolescents, including suicide risk.

The group also points out the lack of long-term follow-up studies on children who have undergone these treatments and the immature nature of the adolescent brain. They emphasize that most children and adolescents experiencing gender dysphoria will resolve their mental incongruencies after going through the normal developmental process of puberty.

The declaration calls out the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) guidelines as "demonstrably flawed," despite being followed by many gender clinics. Instead, the group advocates for psychotherapy as the first line of treatment for underlying mental health issues such as autism, depression, anxiety, and trauma in children experiencing distress over their biological sex.

The signatories urge major U.S. medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Endocrine Society, the American Medical Association, and the American Psychological Association, to immediately stop promoting social affirmation, puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries for children and adolescents.