Penn Medicine ends ‘gender-affirming care’ surgeries on minors
President Trump signed an executive order in January requiring federal agencies to cease funding institutions that perform 'the chemical and surgical mutilation of children.'
Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., sent a letter calling the attention of healthcare providers to a recent report about the harm of so-called 'gender-affirming care.'
The health system of the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) will no longer perform “gender-affirming” surgeries on minors, falling in line with an executive order signed by President Donald Trump earlier this year.
Penn Medicine announced last week that it would halt such procedures for persons under the age of 19, according to a Thursday report by The Daily Pennsylvanian.
A spokesman pointed to federal directives as the cause of the policy change, while emphasizing that the institution still supports transgender-identifying people.
“This is a difficult decision that we know impacts patients and families who place their trust in our care teams,” Penn Medicine Chief Medical Officer Patrick Brennan told The Philadelphia Inquirer in a statement.
“We remain deeply committed to ensuring a respectful and welcoming environment for all members of the communities we serve and providing comprehensive medical and behavioral healthcare and psychosocial support for LGBTQ+ individuals while complying with federal government requirements,” continued Brennan.
[RELATED: Sonoma State to eliminate Women’s and Gender Studies department due to budget constraints]
Trump’s Jan. 28 executive order, titled “Protecting Children From Chemical and Surgical Mutilation,” requires federal agencies to “ensure that institutions receiving Federal research or education grants end the chemical and surgical mutilation of children.”
“This phrase sometimes is referred to as ‘gender affirming care,’” the order continues.
As of publication, Penn Medicine maintains a web page dedicated to “LGBTQ+ health.” The listed services include plastic surgery to help “align with patients’ gender identity and aesthetic goals” and “Voice gender reassignment surgery.”
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. issued a letter on Wednesday to health care providers calling for attention to a report published by the department last month that found “puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries have very weak evidence of benefit, but carry risk of significant harms, including sterilization.”
“I urge you to read the Review and expect you to update your treatment protocols and training to ensure that our nation’s children are protected from harm,” the letter says.
UPenn has faced much federal pressure this year over transgender issues as well as its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) requirements.
The federal government suspended $175 million in grant money to the university on March 19 over the university’s policies allowing men to compete in women’s sports.
On April 28, the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights ordered for the removal of men’s recorded victories in women’s categories of competition. Meanwhile, Trump’s continued efforts to cut DEI from higher education has led university officials to eliminate DEI offices and positions.
Pennsylvania State University also ended “gender-affirming care” procedures for minors in April.
Campus Reform contacted Penn Medicine for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
