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Senator and Dr. Verma engage in a contentious exchange about biology, pregnancy, and how science should guide medicine. The Senator presses: “Can men get pregnant?” He frames the question as a straightforward biological reality and argues that science and evidence should control, not politics. He emphasizes that there are biological men and biological women, and that women get pregnant. He notes that the abortion drug has safety concerns, stating that it “causes adverse health events in eleven percent of cases” and that this is “twenty two times greater than the FDA label,” asserting that this basic reality has not been acknowledged.
Dr. Verma responds by describing his clinical practice, saying he cares for patients with different identities and for many women, including people who do not identify as women. He pauses when asked the binary question, explaining that he is unsure of the goal of the question and emphasizing the complexity of identity and medicine. He reframes the issue by saying that science and evidence should guide medicine, but he avoids giving a yes-or-no answer to the question of whether “biological men” can get pregnant. He characterizes such yes/no questions as political tools and stresses the need to address the experiences of patients rather than polarize the discussion.
The Senator insists on a direct yes/no response, reiterating that the question is about biology and the truth, and that men are not pregnant. He argues that failing to acknowledge this undermines trust in science and could have constitutional implications for protections of women. Dr. Verma maintains that he is a physician who follows science and aims to represent the complex experiences of patients, and he again cautions against polarized framing. He expresses willingness to have a conversation that avoids polarization and politics.
The exchange moves from the specific biology question to broader themes: the role of science in medicine, the intersection of gender identity with medical care, and the communication of medical facts in a political context. The Senator closes by emphasizing the distinction between biological reality and political narratives, reiterating that women get pregnant and highlighting safety concerns about abortion drugs. He thanks the witnesses and the chairman for the hearing, noting a focus on protecting women and following science, while indicating disappointment at the level of debate.