Washington University discontinues medical care for transgender minors

In St. Louis, two weeks after the implementation of a new state law prohibiting gender transition surgeries and new prescriptions for puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones for minors, Washington University has made the decision to discontinue offering these prescriptions to eligible minors under the law.

Senate Bill 49, which withstood legal challenges before becoming effective on August 28th, permits minors to continue their ongoing treatment if it was initiated before the bill’s effective date.

However, Washington University cited legal liability as the primary reason for this decision, expressing their disappointment in having to take this step. The university explained that Missouri’s recent legislation regarding transgender care has created a potential legal claim for patients who received these medications as minors. This legal claim poses an unsustainable level of liability for healthcare professionals, making it impossible for the university to provide comprehensive transgender care for minor patients without exposing both the institution and its providers to unacceptable legal risks.

This decision mirrors a similar choice made by MU Health Care, based in Columbia.

Patients currently undergoing these treatments at Washington University’s Transgender Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital will be referred to other healthcare providers. The center, which has faced scrutiny from U.S. Senator Josh Hawley and the Missouri Attorney General’s Office since a whistleblower came forward earlier in the year, will continue to provide educational and mental health care services for its patients.

Senator Hawley’s office had advocated for the Transgender Center to cease prescribing these medications following the whistleblower’s claims. Additionally, they authored a set of emergency rules pertaining to standards for transgender medical care for minors, which would have also impacted adult treatment. These rules were blocked by a judge and subsequently withdrawn as state lawmakers moved to pass Senate Bill 49, along with another bill that temporarily bans transgender athletes from participating in sports for four years.

Washington University defended its medical practitioners’ handling of minors seeking transgender medical care, praising their dedication and adherence to the standard of care, which includes obtaining informed consent from patients and their parents or guardians.