ST. LOUIS – Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey claimed Tuesday that the Washington University Pediatric Transgender Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital would shut down, citing an apparent announcement from a whistleblower.
The university, however, disputes this claim.
Bailey initially launched an investigation into the center last year after the same whistleblower accused the center of using experimental drugs on children, distributing puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones, and giving children life-altering drugs without parental consent.
Washington University tells FOX 2 that the center has adjusted its services due to a new state law that bans minors from beginning puberty blockers and hormones in the state of Missouri.
A university spokesperson sent this statement to FOX 2 on Wednesday in response to Bailey’s remarks on the pediatric transgender center:
“The scope of care provided at the Center changed last year after Missouri passed a new law on the subject. Since then, we have continued to support our transgender patients appropriately and in accordance with the law. We have no plans to change that approach.
FOX 2 then asked the spokesperson to clarify if the center itself was shutting down as Bailey’s remarks implied. We have not yet received a reply.
Bailey described his claim Tuesday of the center shutting down as “a huge win for the rule of law and for the safety of our children” in a news release Tuesday.
This comes after a judge ruled earlier this month that Bailey’s office could not access private health records sought amid his investigation into the transgender center. Bailey previously filed a lawsuit in efforts to obtain hospital records on any prescriptions for hormone blockers as well as surgeries for transgender patients. The ruling indicated that such records are legally protected and cannot be disclosed.
Washington University has previously contended that the transgender center has followed “appropriate policies and procedures” amid the investigation and claims there is no evidence of misconduct.
As of Thursday, Washington University and St. Louis Children’s Hospital both have active website links that describes services offered through the pediatric transgender center.
Note: This video clip is from December 2023.
