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Republican bill enables lawsuits over sex-change drugs, surgeries

Adults who undergo gender-transition procedures as children would be able to sue their doctors for up to 30 years after turning 18 under a bill introduced Wednesday by congressional Republicans.

Under the Protecting Minors from Medical Malpractice Act, adults who had been treated with hormones, puberty blockers or surgeries would be able to seek injunctive relief as well as compensatory and punitive damages from medical practitioners.

Sen. Tom Cotton, Arkansas Republican, accused “radical doctors” of performing “dangerous, experimental, and even sterilizing gender-transition procedures on young kids.”

The measure clarifies “that federal law cannot be construed to force medical practitioners to offer such procedures,” and prohibits federal health funds from going to states “that force medical practitioners to perform gender-transition procedures.