Arkansas Senate approves limits on gender-affirming care for minors

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

A bill passed by the Arkansas Senate on Tuesday would open physicians up to litigation if they offer gender-affirming care to children.

Senate Bill 199 would give people who received gender-affirming care as a child, including hormones and puberty blockers, a 15-year window to sue their physician.

Its sponsor, Sen. Gary Stubblefield, R-Branch, said the law would protect young children from the effects of irreversible surgeries and hormone treatments. However, no gender-affirmation surgeries are performed on minors in the state of Arkansas, and young children are not eligible for gender-affirming medical treatments.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2023-02-21/arkansas-senate-approves-restrictions-on-gender-affirming-care-for-minors

Michael Hibblen/KUAR News

Lawmakers voted Tuesday to advance a bill that would allow transgender patients to sue their doctors.

U.S. Appeals Court upholds ban on Arkansas’ law blocking gender transition

by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)

The 8th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals on Thursday (Aug. 25) upheld a preliminary injunction against an Arkansas law that bans gender transition procedures for those under age 18. Plaintiffs say the law, Act 626, violates the U.S. Constitution’s equal protection clause.

Act 626 prohibits physicians and health care professionals from providing gender transition procedures to individuals under age 18, or to refer minors to other health care professionals. It also prohibits the use of public funds or insurance coverage for gender transition procedures. It does not prohibit services for persons born with a “medically verifiable disorder of sex development,” such as external biological sex characteristics.

The law was the first in the nation to block medical procedures for gender transition. Gov. Asa Hutchinson vetoed the bill, but the Legislature overrode the veto.

https://talkbusiness.net/2022/08/u-s-appeals-court-upholds-ban-on-arkansas-law-blocking-gender-transition/

UAMS Physicians Among Top Doctors in America

By Kalee Sexton

Physicians at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) have been named Castle Connolly Top Doctors.

Out of 264 Arkansas physicians selected, 76 from UAMS made the Top Doctors in Arkansas list, which is compiled annually by Castle Connolly, a leading research and health care information service company headquartered in New York. The list is published by the Arkansas Times.

Doctors are selected based on a poll that collects nominations and opinions from thousands of doctors across the country, according to Castle Connolly. A physician-led research team screens the nominees and evaluates them on such criteria as professional qualifications, education, hospital and faculty appointments, research leadership, professional reputation and disciplinary history. Physicians can’t pay to be on the list.

https://news.uams.edu/2021/12/10/uams-physicians-among-top-doctors-in-america/

UAMS physicians are among the Top Doctors in Arkansas.