Turkish Health Ministry Justifies Restricting Transgender Access to Hormones as 'Protecting the Family'
The Turkish Ministry of Health responded to a human rights inquiry regarding the restriction of transgender individuals’ access to hormone therapy, citing the prohibitions as a measure to “eliminate threats to the Turkish family structure” and “prevent de-gendering policies.” Meanwhile, the ministry ignored questions about the technical blocking of prescriptions in electronic systems.
According to reports by Kaos GL , the ministry’s response was obtained only after the intervention of the state ombudsman, to whom activists appealed due to the authorities’ silence. In its statement, the Health Ministry confirmed that the block on prescribing testosterone, gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs, and estrogen for gender transition to individuals under 21 was implemented intentionally, motivated by “patient safety” and “protecting the family.” A scientific commission established by the department continues to examine medical records.
However, the ministry did not answer the main question raised by human rights defenders: why, since February 2026, has it been technically impossible to complete prescriptions with the diagnostic code F64 (previously used for the diagnosis of “transsexualism”) in the e-prescription system, even for adult patients? It remains unknown whether this block is based on any legal or administrative orders. The ombudsman, in turn, considered the mere fact of receiving a response from the Ministry of Health sufficient and closed the case with a “friendly settlement” formulation.
Ecmel Deniz, a representative of the Hormone Right Collective (Hormon Hakkım Kolektifi), criticized the department’s response, noting that the 21-year age limit deprives adult youths aged 18 to 20 of medical care, and the block on the F64 code effectively halts treatment for trans people of any age. Activists continue to demand the lifting of age restrictions, the removal of the systemic prescription block, and transparency in decisions concerning the health of transgender citizens.
Restrictions on access to hormone therapy in Turkey are gradually tightening. In November 2024, the Medicines and Medical Devices Agency (TİTCK) made e-prescriptions mandatory for such medications, followed by a ban for those under 21 (although adulthood and surgical transition in Turkey are legally possible at 18), and since the beginning of 2026, processing prescriptions for trans people has been completely blocked in the system at the doctor’s signature stage.
