Brazilian court authorizes use of hormone blockers for 13-year-old transgender adolescent, overturning CFM (Federal Council of Medicine) rule.

English translation:

She has identified as female since the age of 7 and is being monitored by a multidisciplinary team at a hospital in Porto Alegre.

A Federal Court has authorized, in a preliminary ruling, the use of hormone blockers by a 13-year-old transgender girl , thus overriding, in this specific case, a resolution from the Federal Council of Medicine (CFM) that prohibits this type of treatment for children and adolescents.

The measure was granted following appeals from the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office (MPF) and the teenager's own family.

Federal judge Roger Raupp Rios, the reporting judge, understood that the situation is urgent and that the restriction foreseen in the medical standard cannot be applied automatically, without considering the individual reality of the patient.

Support from childhood

According to the legal proceedings, which are under seal, the teenager has identified as female since the age of 7 and has been monitored since 2021 by a specialized multidisciplinary team at a hospital in Porto Alegre.

Throughout this period, she underwent medical and psychological evaluations, and also obtained a court order to correct her name and gender on official documents.

With the onset of puberty, tests indicated physical development consistent with this phase, leading the medical team to recommend hormone blockers. However, treatment was not initiated due to CFM Resolution No. 2,427/2025 , which prohibits prescribing these medications to minors in such situations.

Decision

In the decision, rapporteur Rios highlighted that the teenager had already been receiving care for years from a specialized service integrated into a research project. According to him, the interpretation of the CFM (Federal Council of Medicine) regulation cannot ignore this context nor impede the continuation of already structured care .

The judge also assessed that the prohibition foreseen in the resolution, although general, should not be applied absolutely . This is because, according to him, there are elements in the text of the rule itself and in the case file that point both to possible benefits of the treatment and to the absence of a definitive scientific consensus on its risks and results.

Upon reviewing the case, Rios determined that there is sufficient medical and technical evidence to recommend initiating puberty blockers , with continuous monitoring by the healthcare team. He also emphasized that the adolescent is enrolled in a rigorous monitoring protocol, which reduces any potential risks associated with the treatment.

Another point taken into account was the impact of the absence of intervention. According to the rapporteur, it is not possible to treat potential psychological damage as secondary . He emphasized that the current stage of development can generate significant suffering and lasting consequences if there is no adequate response.

Based on these elements, the court authorized the start of treatment, provided there is an indication from the responsible multidisciplinary team and compliance with the necessary clinical criteria , regardless of the patient's age. The decision also mandates that the court of first instance be notified urgently.

The Federal Public Prosecutor's Office had argued that the teenager's health should be understood broadly, including physical, mental, and social aspects. Her family, however, emphasized the suffering they faced due to the bodily changes and the urgency of starting therapy.

The CFM, in turn, defended the legality of the resolution in the proceedings and alleged risks related to the procedure, in addition to mentioning that there are ongoing lawsuits in the Supreme Federal Court discussing the rule.

Despite this, rapporteur Rios concluded that, in this specific case, the adolescent's right to health should prevail, considering her medical history, the need for specialized care, and the necessity to prevent more extensive harm to her development .

In a statement, the CFM (Federal Council of Medicine) expressed itself as follows:

This is a disrespect to the Supreme Federal Court, which did not suspend the validity of the CFM resolution, maintaining it fully valid. This regulation is entirely based on scientific evidence produced from the best studies conducted in countries that study the subject. This type of judicial decision puts children and adolescents at risk, and the CFM will appeal, including bringing this decision to the attention of the STF, which is responsible for deciding on the validity of the CFM Resolution and which has already overturned previous decisions from lower courts that sought to question the validity of the regulation,” said Raphael Câmara, rapporteur of the CFM resolution .

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