Several hospitals located in Colorado, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., announced on Thursday that they have temporarily halted gender-affirming medical care for minors. This suspension comes as these facilities reassess their policies in light of an executive order issued by former President Donald Trump, aimed at reducing federal backing for such treatments.
Denver Health in Colorado confirmed its decision to cease gender-affirming surgeries for individuals below the age of 19. A representative from the hospital stated that this move was taken to align with Trump’s directive and ensure continued federal funding. There remains uncertainty regarding whether the hospital will continue offering other forms of gender-affirming care to adolescents, such as hormone therapy and puberty blockers.
In Virginia, both VCU Health and the Children’s Hospital of Richmond have also announced the suspension of gender-affirming medications and surgical procedures for patients under 19 years old.
Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., indicated that it has paused the prescribing of puberty blockers and hormone therapies as part of its compliance efforts with the new directives while further evaluation is conducted. The hospital noted that it does not perform gender-affirming surgeries on minors.
Trump’s recent executive order, enacted on Tuesday, seeks to overturn the policies established during the Biden administration that safeguarded transgender rights and medical care. The order mandates that governmental agencies ensure hospitals receiving federal education and research grants stop actions described as “chemical and surgical mutilation of children.”
Conversely, some hospitals have indicated they will maintain their current practices. Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago stated that officials are examining the implications of Trump’s order and evaluating how it might affect their clinical services. Hospital representatives expressed a commitment to advocating for access to medically necessary care, emphasizing a foundation rooted in science and compassion for the families they serve.
The terminology used in Trump’s executive order, which includes terms like “mutilation” and “sterilizing,” is largely seen as misleading concerning standard gender-affirming care in the U.S. Additionally, the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) has criticized the order, labeling its guidance as “junk science.” WPATH further argued that imposing restrictions on necessary medical care for transgender youth can be detrimental to the well-being of both the patients and their families.
While gender-affirming care for transgender youth is not widespread, recent studies indicate that less than 1 in 1,000 adolescents with commercial insurance in the United States received puberty blockers or hormone treatments over a five-year timeframe. Generally, most gender-affirming surgeries are not performed on minors.
Denver Health expressed concerns that Trump’s order could negatively impact the mental health of their transgender patients while reassuring that these adolescents would still have access to primary care and mental health services. The hospital underscored its commitment to ensuring the well-being of its gender diverse patients under the age of 19.
This article has been updated to clarify that Trump’s executive order was signed on Tuesday, not Thursday.
