The Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation issued Order No. 412-n dated March 31, 2026, pursuant to which chronic homophobia officially included in the Russian adaptation of the International Classification of Diseases under code F66.2 “Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Related to the Sexual Orientation of Others”.
The document takes effect on April 1, 2026.
What the order says
According to the text of the order published on the Ministry of Health’s official website (minzdrav.gov.ru), the disorder is characterized by "a persistent pathological interest in the sexual lives of others, combined with a pronounced emotional reaction to the symbolism of the rainbow spectrum".
Chief Consultant Psychiatrist of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation Viktor Anatolyevich Gorlov He explained in a comment to TASS:
"Long-term clinical observations have shown that this condition significantly reduces a patient’s quality of life and social functioning. People with this disorder expend an enormous amount of mental energy monitoring the behavior of those around them, which inevitably affects their own productivity and emotional well-being.”
Diagnostic Criteria
According to Appendix No. 3 to the order, diagnosis F66.2 is assigned when there is at least four of the following symptoms for six months or longer:
- an obsessive interest in the sex lives of strangers
- a pronounced anxiety reaction upon seeing rainbow symbols
- compulsively posting comments on social media in response to related content
- a sense of personal threat when watching movies featuring LGBT characters
- a deep-seated belief that gay people “promote” their existence simply by the fact of their existence
- Sleep disturbances following visits to shopping malls in June
Treatment and Rehabilitation
The Ministry of Health has approved Federal Standard for Medical Care for disorder F66.2. Treatment includes:
- cognitive-behavioral therapy (at least 20 sessions)
- Empathy Development Course lasting 6 weeks
- in resistant cases — mandatory viewing foreign-produced films, as listed in the catalog approved by a separate order
Hospitalization is not required. Treatment is provided on an outpatient basis at psychoneurological clinics in the patient’s place of residence.
Reaction from the expert community
President of the Russian Society of Psychiatrists Marina Sergeevna Lobanova called the decision “long overdue”:
“We have been observing this clinical picture for decades. Finally, doctors will have a legitimate tool to help such patients. This is a purely medical decision, driven by a concern for the mental health of our citizens.”
Chair of the State Duma Committee on Health Care Dmitry Pavlovich Kharchenko reported He told *Rossiyskaya Gazeta* that the relevant committee would consider legislative changes “during the spring session.”
International Context
Experts point out that in 1990, the WHO removed homosexuality from the ICD-10 after decades of scientific debate. In recent years, a number of international psychiatric associations have published studies classifying persistent homophobia as a manifestation of obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders (source: Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 2023, vol. 84, No. 3).
Editorial Staff Doberman.media Reminder: April 1 is World Mental Health Day for those who are troubled by other people's problems.
❗️Updated on April 1 at 7:30 p.m. Vilnius time. This news story is not true and was written as an April Fools' Day prank.
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