Pediatric Center Halts Transgender Procedures After State Bans 'Experimentation' on Minors

A Missouri pediatric children's hospital announced it would no longer provide puberty blockers or hormone therapies to children due to a state law that now forces them to stop carrying out these irreversible procedures on minors.

The Washington University Pediatric "Transgender Center" at St. Louis Children's Hospital detailed in a statement that they are "disheartened" by having to shut down operations on kids, but are doing so to protect "the university and our providers" from "an unacceptable level of liability."

The center points to Missouri's Save Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act as the reason for halting gender-altering attempts.

Missouri SAFE Act to effect on August 28 and allows minors harmed by these medical procedures to bring civil action against the providers who administered the procedures up to 15 years after the procedures.

As CBN News reported, there is a growing trend of regret among people left in turmoil by their transgender transitions, especially young girls.

Missouri joins a host of other states that are enacting legislation to protect children from puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and sex reassignment surgeries.

"We support everyone's right to his or her own pursuit of happiness; however, we must protect children from making life-altering decisions that they could come to regret in adulthood once they have physically and emotionally matured," Governor Mike Parson explained in a statement after signing the bill. "These decisions have permanent consequences for life and should not be made by impressionable children who may be in crisis or influenced by the political persuasions of others."

Since February 2023, Washington University has been under scrutiny for allegations of lying to parents and harming hundreds of children with mutilating gender procedures.

Jamie Reed, a whistleblower, claimed the clinic's staff members used experimental drugs on children.

In an affidavit obtained by Missouri's Attorney General, Reed detailed how the clinic harmed hundreds of kids during her tenure.

"Almost everyone in my life advised me to keep my head down. But I cannot in good conscience do so. Because what is happening to scores of children is far more important than my comfort. And what is happening to them is morally and medically appalling," said Reed. 

In the affidavit, Reed claims staff used experimental drugs on children, distributed puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones without a proper assessment, and in some cases without parental consent. 

Reeds testifies that staff used, Bicalutamide, a cancer-treating drug on minors. 

Bicalutamide is a medication used to treat pancreatic cancer, and one of its side effects is that it causes breasts to grow, but it also poisons the liver. 

"I know of at least one patient at the Center who was advised by the renal department to stop taking Bicalutamide because the child was experiencing liver damage. The child's parent reported this to the Center through the patient's online self-reporting medical chart (MyChart). The parent said they were not the type to sue, but 'this could be a huge PR problem for you,'" wrote Reed. 

There are no clinical studies for using Bicalutamide for gender dysphoria. 

Meanwhile, nations in Europe are halting gender-altering efforts for minors to safeguard children.

Norway, Finland, and Sweden have adopted or changed policies that signal a rejection of transgender ideology.

The Norwegian Healthcare Investigation Board announced it will be revising its guidelines on the use of puberty blockers and gender-reassignment surgeries because there is a lack of medical research to support the use of those protocols.

And one of Australia's largest medical insurers now refuses to cover private practitioners who are prescribing gender-transitioning procedures.

As CBN's Faithwire reported, England's National Health Service issued guidance to doctors to recognize that minors struggling with their gender identity should be treated with the understanding that "gender incongruence does not persist into adolescence."

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