New research shows immediate access to hormone therapy can save trans lives.

The clinical trial conducted by the University of Melbourne suggests swift access to testosterone therapy for transgender adults dramatically reduces the risk of depression and suicide. 

This pioneering research, the first of its kind to employ a randomised control trial in this context, demonstrates the profound impact of hormone therapy on mental well-being for transgender individuals.

Associate Professor Ada Cheung, a senior author of the study, highlighted the critical need for robust evidence supporting gender-affirming hormone therapy, saying that past research has been hampered by ethical considerations. 

The trial featured 64 participants enrolled between November 2021 and July 2022. 

These individuals completed questionnaires on their experiences of depression, suicidal thoughts, and gender dysphoria both before initiating treatment and three months later.

Published in the Journal of American Medical Association Network Open, the research conclusively established that immediate access to testosterone therapy significantly mitigated gender dysphoria, depression, and suicidal ideation. 

Remarkably, 52 per cent of those in the treatment group reported the resolution of suicidal thoughts, compared to only 3 per cent in the standard care group.

Professor Damien Riggs of Flinders University corroborated the study's findings, emphasising the importance of timely medical treatment after informed consent for trans healthcare. 

Dr Fiona Bisshop, a GP and past president of the Australian Professional Association for Trans Health (AUSpath), echoed the study's significance, underlining the historical challenges transgender individuals have faced in accessing gender-affirming hormone therapy.