Washington University in St. Louis has announced it will cease providing sex changes, hormones and puberty blockers to minors months after a whistleblower alleged the hospital pushed kids into sex changes.
Jamie Reed, a former case manager, sent an affidavit to Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey in February, alleging that children at the clinic were started on a fast track to invasive sex change treatments without proper psychiatric evaluations. Bailey has since announced an investigation into the clinic, releasing language in April for an emergency rule that would limit sex changes for children in the state. (RELATED: School Vows To Investigate Trans Teacher Who Allegedly Threatened Violence After Keeping The Incident From Parents)
“Washington University physicians will no longer prescribe puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones to minors for purposes of gender transition,” the hospital said in a Monday press release. “Patients who are currently receiving this care through the Washington University Transgender Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital will be referred to other providers for these services. The Center will continue to offer other services, including education and mental health support for all patients, and medical care for patients over the age of 18.”
The hospital said it was “disheartened” to make the choice, but cited Missouri’s law banning sex changes for minors, which took effect Aug. 28. Under the law, patients who have already begun transgender treatments before that date may continue them, but no new patients can start such medications.
Missouri AG issues emergency rule preventing ‘experimental’ sex change operations https://t.co/i9eAmCwwpK
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) April 14, 2023
Missouri’s law also makes it easier for patients to sue doctors who prescribed hormones, puberty blockers or performed sex change surgeries on them as minors.
“This legal claim creates unsustainable liability for health-care professionals and makes it untenable for us to continue to provide comprehensive transgender care for minor patients without subjecting the university and our providers to an unacceptable level of liability,” the hospital claims.
The New York Times confirmed key portions of Reed’s whistleblower account in August, despite a media campaign to paint her allegations as overblown or outright false.