Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz announced on Monday a ban on so-called "conversion therapy," a pseudo-medical or religious practice that seeks to change an individual's sexual orientation.
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Ministry data shows that this practice, which often comprises a collection of psychiatric, psychological, religious, and cultural interventions, fuels a thriving industry, preying on individual vulnerabilities.
Channel 12 News cited Horowitz as saying that the ban was nothing short of "a life-saving measure" taken against "cruel abuse" that "kills the soul."
Health Ministry Director-General Nachman Ash has issued a directive "barring medical professionals from proposing or attempting the controversial therapy, which claims to reorient LBGTQ patients toward heterosexuality, and enables punitive action against those who violate the order," local media reported.
The directive states that "sexual preference is not a medical psychological problem requiring treatment nor there is there a clinical way to change it.
"The Health Ministry prohibits all professional bodies from offering or administering such treatment," the directive stressed."
Lauding the directive a "victory" for LGBTQ rights, Horowitz said that any professional who violates the order would face punitive action that could include revoking their licenses.
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