Interfaith Council of Albania Makes Statement on Hormonal Treatment
The Interfaith Council of Albania urged transparency and national debate over a new hormonal treatment guideline, citing legal, ethical, and medical concerns.
TIRANA, ALBANIA — The Interfaith Council of Albania has issued a public statement expressing concern over the adoption of a clinical practice guide titled “For the Hormonal Treatment of Transgender Persons,” approved under Order No. 304 by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare on April 28, 2026. The guide establishes a medical framework for administering hormonal therapies to individuals experiencing gender incongruence, including provisions that extend to minors.
The council says it has been closely monitoring the introduction of the guideline and argues that policies involving hormonal treatment carry broad ethical, medical, and social implications. It stresses that such measures should be developed through transparent institutional processes, grounded in clear scientific standards, and accompanied by extensive professional and public consultation.
In its statement, the Interfaith Council requests that authorities publish the scientific and medical basis for the protocol, the legal reasoning behind its expedited adoption, and clarification of the authority under which it was approved. It also calls for explanation of why minors are included in the framework and what safeguards govern their treatment. Additionally, the council raises concerns about the legal framework authorizing medical professionals to administer such interventions, noting gaps in existing Albanian legislation.
Beyond procedural questions, the council emphasizes what it describes as the need for a broad national dialogue involving medical experts, bioethicists, psychologists, legal scholars, and civil society representatives. It further reiterates its view, grounded in religious tradition, that human identity is rooted in the distinction between male and female, and expresses reservations about interventions aimed at altering biological sex characteristics.
Previously, the UOJ reported that Patr. Porfirije addressed the debate on gender ideology.
