History and Purpose
» 1.1 Historical Background
The field of transgender healthcare is a rapidly evolving interdisciplinary field. The last few years have seen a globally unprecedented increase and visibility of transgender and gender diverse people seeking support and gender affirming medical treatment. At the same time there is growing expansion of transgender healthcare services internationally, paralleled with a significant increase in the scientific literature in this area.
WPATH is committed to ensure that the highest standard of care is achieved and presented in our Standards of Care. The Standards of Care (SOC) were originally published in 1979. Updated Standards of Care were published in 1980, 1981, 1990, 1998, 2001, and 2011. The SOC7 was published in 2012, and given the progress made in the field of transgender and gender diverse healthcare, an update of the SOC is timely and appropriate. Consequently, WPATH has decided to initiate the process of founding a new SOC8 Revision Committee.
It is WPATH’s intent that through the process of rigorous review of all evidence and ideas, the SOC8 Revision Committee will reach consensus on guidelines that can hold up to scrutiny within health science and human rights standards, and that will benefit the people they are meant to serve on a global level.
» 1.2 Purpose of the Standards of Care
The overall goal of the guidelines from WPATH, called “Standards of Care”, is to provide clinical guidance for health professionals to assist transgender and gender diverse people with safe and effective pathways to achieve lasting personal comfort with their gendered selves, and to maximize their overall health, psychological well-being, and self-fulfillment. This assistance may include primary care, gynecologic and urologic care, reproductive options, voice and communication therapy, mental health services (e.g., counseling, psychotherapy), hormonal or surgical treatments among others.
» 1.3 About Standards of Care 8th Version
This version of the Standards of Care is the first to be developed using an evidence-based approach. Evidence-based guidelines include recommendations intended to optimize patient care that are informed by a systematic review of evidence and an assessment of the benefits and harms of alternative care options. This document provides an overview of the methodological approach for updating the Standards of Care.
» 1.4 Target Audience
While this is primarily a document for health professionals, the Standards of Care may also be used by individuals, their families, and social institutions to promote optimal health for members of this diverse population.
» 1.5 Target Population
The recommendations in the Standards of Care are developed to apply to transgender, and gender diverse people.