Michigan medical center ends transgender interventions for children

Michigan Medicine, the University of Michigan’s medical center, on Monday said it would no longer offer cross-sex hormones or puberty blockers to children under the age of 19. The institution said the decision came amid federal pressure to end transgender medical interventions for minors. Last month, the U.S. Department of Justice issued more than 20 subpoenas to physicians and clinics involved in providing so-called gender-affirming care to children, including the University of Michigan. The department is investigating the organizations and individuals for potential healthcare fraud, false statements, and other criminal and civil charges. Meanwhile, Michigan does not have any laws protecting children from transgender procedures and private practices continue to offer the interventions.

What other institutions have stopped transgender interventions? Major hospital systems across the country earlier this year paused or ended their programs. Their decisions came after President Donald Trump signed an executive order to protect minors from irreversible medical interventions. That order removes federal funding from institutions that provide transgender interventions to minors. Though a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction against the order, many hospitals and clinics have not resumed offering the procedures. More than two-dozen states have enacted laws to protect children from the interventions.

Dig deeper: Read my report about New Hampshire protecting children from transgender procedures.