Australia’s health practitioner registration body has imposed restrictions on one of Australia’s most prominent opponents of gender medicine.
Dr Andrew Amos, an academic formerly at James Cook University, is one of the most prominent opponents of gender affirming care, and a regular commentator in the media.
In an order handed down last week the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) has imposed conditions on the prominent psychiatrist’s registration ordering that he refrain from sharing his views about gender medicine and people who are transgender on social media.
In the order published online it states that “from 26 February 2026, the practitioner must ensure any engagement on social media, or interaction, is compliant with the Medical Board’s Code of Conduct (Good medical practice: a code of conduct for doctors in Australia) and Ahpra and the National Board’s Social Media Guidelines.”
Secondly, “The practitioner must not engage in social media posting, or interaction, in relation to gender medicine, gender identity and/or expression, and transgender persons.”
Dr Amos is also restricted from clinical contact with patients and can only use his professional knowledge to practise in management, administration, non-clinical education, non-clinical research, advisory, regulatory or policy development roles.
A spokesperson for the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency said one of their key roles, alngside medical boards, was to ensure that healthcare is delivered free from discrimination.
“It is important that people feel safe when receiving healthcare and have confidence in regulated health practitioners.
“We respect practitioners’ freedom of expression, including advocacy via social media, provided it does not involve abuse, discrimination, or pose a risk to public safety.” the spokesperson told OUTinPerth.
“We can confirm that on 26 February this year, the Medical Board of Australia imposed conditions on the registration of Dr Andrew Amos.
“The conditions prohibit Dr Amos from engaging in social media posting in relation to gender medicine, gender identity and/or expression, and transgender persons. The conditions provide a definition of social media and a list of common platforms.
Ahpra noted that they have also published a guidance document in relation to social media use.
“Confidentiality provisions of the National Law under which we operate limit what we can say publicly about an individual practitioner or matter.” the spokesperson said.
The Queensland based psychiatrist has previously spoken out against laws which outlaw conversion therapy which stop practitioners and religious bodies from urging people to resist changing gender. In an interview with Andrew Bolt on Sky News he called for them to be repealed, in Victoria and across Australia.
Dr Amos has also argued in peer-reviewed academic papers that the gender affirming care model used in Australia limits psychiatrists ability to treat mental illnesses that may be contributing to a person expressing a belief that they are transgender.
“The political goal of expanding personal liberty has been substituted for evidence-based medicine processes of clinical reasoning, rendering the current gender-affirming guidelines incompatible with competent, ethical medical practice,” Dr Amos said in a 2024 media release from James Cook University where he was an academic.
A spokesperson for the university told OUTinPerth; “Dr Andrew Amos has no teaching or research position at James Cook University.” when approached about move from Ahpra.
In media interviews he has also advocated for a national inquiry into gender treatments stating gender clinics were powered by activism rather than sound medical research.
While Dr Amos did not treat transgender children in his professional practice, he has been a leading opponent of the methodology currently used in Australia. Last year he told the ABC that he began speaking out because colleagues who are pediatricians were afraid to voice their concerns.
Dr Amos has previously been criticized by other medical practitioners over his views. In 2024 Dr Kate Williamson from Upward Life Medical Practice in Queensland told the Courier Mail that she believed the statements being made by Dr Amos were potentially harmful.
“All the medical guidelines say you should take a position of affirming gender, because feelings of gender incongruence are almost always longstanding and rarely, if ever on a whim.” she said.
James Cook University sexual health specialist Dr Darren Russel also described the views held by Dr Amos as being in the minority.
“Being transgender is always a lifetime experience, it doesn’t change, gender clinics for children treat them over years not a couple of appointments,” he said.
Queensland Psychiatrist Dr Jillian Spencer responded to news that Dr Amos had been given conditions on his registration with a video voicing support for the psychiatrist who she described as her ‘brother-in-arms”.
Showing a raised fist, in her video Dr Spencer said, “As God as my witness, they’re not going to lick us, we’re going to get through this, and when it is over, we will never be subject to AHRPA regulation again.” Her video backed by the soundtrack to Gone with the Wind.
Dr Spencer was stood down from her position as a child and adolescent psychiatrist at Queensland Children’s Hospital in 2023. She subsequently filed a human rights complaint against her employer. Last year Dr Spencer unsuccessfully ran to become the President of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists.
Speaking to The Australian Dr Spencer said she feared being targeted by the regulatory body.
“I’m very anxious that I’ll be next,” Dr Spencer said.
“I’ve managed to keep my registration so far but I don’t know how long I’ve got left.” she said.
OUTinPerth also approached Dr Amos for comment but understands he has declined to comment to other media outlets. OUTinPerth co-editors Graeme Watson and Leigh Andrew Hill also work in the tertiary education sector.
