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David Zitner vs. transgender people

David Zitner is a Canadian physician and anti-transgender activist. Zitner is affiliated with anti-trans think tank Macdonald-Laurier Institute (MLI).

Background

David Zitner attended Dalhousie University, earning a bachelor’s degree in 1968 and a medical degree in 1974.

In 1974, Zitner founded the Nova Scotia family medicine practice Public Gardens Medical Group, retiring in 2015.

in 1991 Zitner was named a Fellow of the College of Family Physicians of Canada. Starting in 2000, Zitner began consulting on health policy at the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies, later continuing this work as a freelancer. In 2023, Zitner was appointed a fellow in health care policy at Macdonald-Laurier Institute.

In 2023, Zitner and Dominic Covvey co-authored the three-volume book The Nature of Clinical Care:

  • Volume 1. A Gentle Introduction
  • Volume 2. Mental Health and Public Health
  • Volume 3 Personalizing Health Care

Zitner has spoken at events sponsored by The Canada Strong and Free Network (formerly the Manning Centre), created “to support Canada’s conservative movement by networking best practices and ideas pertaining to limited government, free enterprise, individual responsibility and a more robust civil society.”

Anti-trans activism

Zitner was a signatory on a 2025 MLI statement that concludes: “So-called “gender-affirming care” has proven risks and harms, but unproven benefits. It is not “life-saving,” but it is permanently life-altering. We are 14 of the many physicians who strongly believe that minors should not be allowed to make such decisions. The self-proclaimed “experts” do not speak for us.”

Selected anti-trans writing by Zitner

Zitner, David and 13 signatories (May 14, 2025). Medical organizations and media let Canadians believe gender medicine is safe and universally accepted. It’s not. Inside Policy https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/medical-organizations-and-media-let-canadians-believe-gender-medicine-is-safe-and-universally-accepted-its-not-14-physicians-sign-statement-for-inside-policy/

Zitner, David (September 18, 2024). Are gender interventions helpful? First do no harm! Inside Policy https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/are-gender-interventions-helpful-first-do-no-harm-david-zitner-for-inside-policy/

Zitner, David (October 23, 2023). Excluding parents from gender discussions harms the children. Telegraph-Journal [Saint John, NB] https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/excluding-parents-from-gender-discussions-harms-the-children-david-zitner-in-the-telegraph-journal/ original url: https://tj.news/telegraph-journal/102184673

Zitner, David (August 28, 2023). Regulators must take cautious approach to gender-affirming treatments for minors. National Post https://nationalpost.com/opinion/regulators-must-take-cautious-approach-to-gender-affirming-treatments-for-minors

Zitner, David (June 15, 2023). RE: Another Role for Family Physicians. Canadian Family Physician https://www.cfp.ca/content/re-another-role-family-physicians [response to Weisdorf, T., Organek, A. J., & Bauld, H. (2023). Should all family physicians provide gender-affirming primary care? Canadian Family Physician, 69(6), 415–417. https://doi.org/10.46747/cfp.6906415

  • “Care for transgender and gender diverse people (TGD) is complicated by the absence of definitive research that answers answer important questions. We know that many people benefit from aggressive gender modifying treatments, while others suffer and change their mind. Research is lacking that identifies the characteristics of those most likely to benefit and those most likely to be harmed by aggressive medical and surgical treatments that alter the appearance and function of TGD patients.”

Zitner, David (October 07, 2022). Doctors and parents need to rethink ‘gender-affirming care’ for children. National Post https://nationalpost.com/opinion/opinion-doctors-and-parents-need-to-rethink-gender-affirming-care-for-children

Zitner, David (September 29, 2022). Gender dysphoria in children: Risking harm from well-intentioned parents and doctors. Inside Policy https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/gender-dysphoria-in-children-risking-harm-from-well-intentioned-parents-and-doctors/

Resources

Clinical Care & Informatics (truthclinical.com)

Macdonald-Laurier Institute (macdonaldlaurier.ca)

National Institute of Health Informatics (nihi.ca)

  • David Zitner
  • https://www.nihi.ca/report.php?ListType=cv&ID=110&MenuItemID=10&MenuItemDestDescription=Zitner%2C+David

Atlantic Insitute for Market Studies (aims.ca)

LinkedIn (linkedin.com)