This upcoming Sunday, the people of Venezuela will hold an election that, if legitimate, would put an end to years of the oppressive Maduro narco-regime. U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) issued a statement in support of the Venezuelan people: “The...
NOTICIAS
Últimas Noticias
Rubio: “La Tenacidad y Valentía del Pueblo venezolano Estarán a la Vista”
Este próximo domingo, el pueblo venezolano tendrá una elección que, de ser legítima, pondría fin a años de opresión por parte del narco-régimen de Maduro. El senador estadounidense Marco Rubio (R-FL) grabó un mensaje de video en español y emitió una declaración en...
Rubio, Scott, Colleagues to Biden Admin: No Privileges Should Be Given to 9/11 Terrorist
Twenty-three years ago, the United States was attacked by Islamic terrorists on September 11, 2001. Now, Zacarias Moussaoui, the only person convicted in a U.S. court for his role in the attack, has requested the U.S. Department of Justice to allow a prisoner transfer...
Next Week: Rubio Staff Hosts Mobile Office Hours
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio’s (R-FL) office will host virtual Mobile Office Hours next week to assist constituents with federal casework issues in their respective local communities. These office hours offer constituents who do not live close to one of Senator Rubio’s...
Rubio, Colleagues Introduce Ensuring Continuity in Veterans’ Health Act
As the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) opens up new facilities, many veterans are losing access to the VA’s Community Care Program and, consequently, their long-term healthcare providers. Veterans throughout the country have reported a loss of care, including...
Rubio Introduces Bill to Strengthen U.S.-India Security Partnership
The U.S.-India partnership is vital to countering influences from Communist China. In order to strengthen this partnership, it is essential to enhance our strategic diplomatic, economic, and military relationship with New Delhi. U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL)...
Transcript: Rubio Forces NIH to Admit There Is No Conclusive Safety Data on the Impact of Puberty Blockers on Youth
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) questioned Dr. Lawrence Tabak, Acting Director of the National Institutes of Health, during a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services hearing. Tabak acknowledged there are no long-term studies on the risks associated with the off-label use of puberty blockers by minors.
A video of Rubio’s questioning can be found here and a transcript of the exchange is below.
RUBIO: Dr. Tabak, let me start with this question. We’ve recently seen…that the Biden Administration and others in the policy realm have been actively promoting and supporting the use of things like puberty blockers and hormone therapy for young boys and girls.
I want to limit my question to minors for what they have termed “gender transforming care.” That’s not an FDA-approved use for puberty blockers and hormone therapy, I don’t believe, in any people, but especially in minors. So, as the NIH is America’s medical research agency, what work have we done at NIH… to determine if this non FDA-approved use of these medicines, this off-label use of these medicines, is appropriate for minors seeking gender transforming care?
TABAK: So, NIH funds a small number of observational studies to gather the data on the effects of treatments that transgender youth and their parents have chosen. And there are also a small number of studies that describe the health issues and risks, including HIV, that are unique to to these transgender youth. But all of the research in this space is observational. We do no interventional work.
RUBIO: I guess my question is…[it’s] one thing i[f] a decision [is] made by an adult, right? And, especially given the irreversible nature of some of these treatments, isn’t there some wisdom in the notion that, before policymakers are out there promoting the off-label use of medications that lead to permanent changes, that there be some more research done on [the] impact [it will have] five, ten, 15, 20 years from now?
TABAK: So, as you know, transgender youth are more vulnerable to depression, anxiety, [engagement] in self-harm. And so it is important that we examine and evaluate the potential effects of these treatments. Researchers are observing longer-term psychological impact of these protocols. And so by by looking at individuals, transgender youth with and without histories of puberty suppression, we will be able to better answer the types of questions that you’re posing.
RUBIO: Yeah, I guess that’s my point. My point is, we don’t know what its long term implications are when we weigh the cost and the benefits. The FDA hasn’t approved this and yet we have policymakers promoting it, and I think that’s an important point.
We clearly don’t want anybody harming themselves…but…these policy decisions are being made on the basis of observational guidance and, by your own admission, without any sort of long term trajectory on its holistic impact.