Washington University in St. Louis has announced that an internal review has found that the allegations of substandard care at its Transgender Center made by a former employee are “unsubstantiated”. The employee had claimed that the center was prescribing puberty blockers and hormones too quickly, without adequate education of parents and children and without adequate tracking of negative side effects. They also alleged that there were insufficient wraparound services for mental health care.
The allegations prompted the Missouri attorney general, Andrew Bailey, to launch an investigation, which has now been expanded to cover all pediatric transgender health care in the state. Bailey’s office has also opened a tip line for those who have concerns about gender transition interventions or troubling practices at transition clinics in Missouri. A spokeswoman for Bailey’s office has accused far-left activists of impeding parents’ ability to shed light on what has happened to their children using the tip line, although she did not provide any further information.
The internal review at Washington University found that the allegations were unsubstantiated, based on interviews with staff and medical records. It also revealed that the center requires a letter of support from a licensed mental health provider before prescribing puberty blockers or hormones, reflecting an individualized assessment of patients and their mental health.
Although the center has been cleared of the allegations, Republican efforts to restrict or ban gender-affirming care in the state are continuing. Bailey recently introduced a first-of-its-kind emergency rule to impose numerous restrictions on both adults and children before they can receive puberty-blocking drugs, hormones, or surgeries. Republican state lawmakers are also trying to pass bills that would bar any gender-affirming health care for minors, inmates, and prisoners, as well as preventing transgender girls from playing on girls sports teams in schools.
The Transgender Center at Washington University continues to cooperate with the attorney general’s investigation. The center has treated 1,165 people since June 2018, including some informational phone calls. Around half of those treated have received hormones, while 67 have received puberty blockers. The center has provided gender-affirming surgeries to minors in the past, but that practice has now ended.