The Health Ministry has introduced new restrictions limiting access to hormone medications used in gender-affirming treatment for individuals under the age of 21.
The decision was communicated to provincial governorates across Turkey through an official directive issued by the ministry-affiliated Medicines and Medical Devices Agency, Kaos GL reported.
While Turkey’s Civil Code permits individuals to undergo gender reassignment surgery starting at age 18, the ministry introduced the new policy citing "preventing the misuse of gender hormone medications" as its rationale.
The directive dated Jun 25 includes the provision: “These medications cannot be prescribed or documented in any way for the purpose of gender reassignment.”
The restricted medications include testosterone-based drugs, gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues, and estrogen products containing 2 mg or more of the hormone.
These drugs will remain available by prescription for conditions such as cancer, infertility, early puberty, endometriosis, post-menopause, and uterine fibroids. However, they will not be prescribed to individuals under 21 experiencing gender dysphoria or gender incongruence.
The ministry’s directive, cites the government’s “Year of the Family” campaign for 2025 as the justification for the restriction. Referring to Article 41 of the Constitution on the protection of family and children's rights, the ministry claimed that the policy was intended to defend “cultural and moral values.”
“It has become necessary for our institution to take precautionary measures in order to eliminate emerging threats to the healthy structure of society and to our cultural and moral values,” the directive read.
Background
On Nov 20, the Turkish Pharmacists’ Association (TEB) announced that the Turkish Medicines and Medical Devices Agency had begun restricting access to certain drugs. The affected medications included testosterone injections and gels commonly used by transgender men, as well as estrogen-based contraceptives used by transgender women.
With the new directive, Turkey joins a growing list of countries that have moved to limit access to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for transgender individuals. This list includes Estonia, Lithuania, Denmark, Poland, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Romania, Hungary, Latvia, Russia, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
HRT is a medical treatment used to supplement hormone levels when the body cannot produce sufficient amounts on its own. It is commonly used to treat symptoms of menopause, boost testosterone in men, and support gender transition in transgender individuals.
Experts note that HRT can significantly affect physical appearance, voice, and other traits. However, the process requires continuous medical supervision. Restrictions on access to HRT, they warn, could pose risks to both the physical and mental health of transgender individuals.
(TY/VK)
