New Law Halts Hormone Therapy for Transgender Individuals
Mehr Khan, a 26-year-old transgender woman in Hyderabad, arrived for a routine hormone therapy appointment only to find her treatment suspended due to a recent change in Indian law. The March 2026 amendment scrapped self-identification of gender, making legal recognition conditional on certification by a panel of doctors. However, the government has yet to specify the specialists required for these panels or their accountability, leaving providers in legal limbo.
“The doctor was really just hiding his face. He didn’t know what to say,” Khan said, noting fear among clinic staff. She is one of many transgender people whose care has been disrupted, with clinics pausing services and delaying surgeries across India.
Government Aims to Curb Misuse, but Activists Warn of Harm
India says the change targets misuse of welfare benefits and aims to boost safeguards. However, activists and doctors warn it increases uncertainty for providers and cuts many off from essential medication. At least a dozen transgender people told Reuters their care was disrupted, and five doctors said they are proceeding cautiously, with some requiring patients to sign voluntary treatment declarations.
“Doctors are very concerned and confused as to what kind of care they are now allowed to give,” said Arundhati Katju, a senior Supreme Court lawyer.
Global Trend Against Transgender Rights
The change mirrors a global push to curb transgender treatment, notably in the United States, while some Asian countries like Thailand offer broader access but limited legal recognition. India, once seen as progressive, is now tightening state oversight. In Bengaluru, business development manager Ananya Balamurali, 24, said her July gender-affirming surgery in New Delhi was put on indefinite hold. In Kozhikode, makeup artist Ichu, 30, said a government hospital refused her hormone replacement therapy after a board meeting, despite months of consultations.
The Association of Transgender Health in India estimates the transgender population at about 20 million out of 1.4 billion, far exceeding the 2011 census figure of 500,000. Association founder Dr. Sanjay Sharma called the amended law a “public health emergency,” undermining a landmark 2014 Supreme Court ruling recognizing transgender people as a third gender. He warned that the provisions could penalize hormonal and surgical interventions and expose doctors to prosecution, while medical board checks could be physically and mentally invasive.
Narrowed Definition Excludes Many
The 2026 law recognizes only traditional transgender groups, intersex people, and those “coerced” into being transgender as “legitimate.” It explicitly bars self-identification, ruling out gender changes on official documents for others. Sharma noted that gender-affirming care, including hormone replacement therapy (HRT), is essential to align physical traits with gender identity, with surgery requiring up to a year of prior treatment. Abruptly stopping HRT can cause bone density loss and menopause-like symptoms.
Risk of Unregulated Care
Activists fear restricted access will push the community toward unregulated care. “We’re worried that the new law might push the transgender community into a shell,” said Hyderabad-based activist Rachana Mudraboyina, adding that many may turn to quacks to avoid documentation hurdles. Debbie Das, a Bengaluru design business owner, delayed starting HRT due to uncertainty after losing projects. “I didn’t want to start HRT and then have to panic about whether I should stop,” she said.
Transgender men may be especially vulnerable, as the law does not clearly cover them, said Fred Rogers, a Chennai-based counsellor, noting public understanding revolves around transgender women. The community also faces persistent stigma and exclusion, with family and employer disapproval pushing many into informal work.
Uncertainty Persists
Ichu now travels 50 km for care, while Khan relies on an older prescription after missing a planned dosage change. “People at the clinic said, ‘Give us a week or two, we’ll figure this out,’” Khan said. “It’s been months now and we’re still entirely clueless about where to go, what to do.” The government and Tata Trusts, which funds the Sabrang Clinic where Khan was treated, did not respond to requests for comment.
