Yet another hospital abandons trans youth healthcare

Yet another US hospital is spiking its gender-affirming care program for trans youth following pressure from the Trump administration.

NYU Langone Health, an academic health system in New York City, announced plans to shutter its Transgender Youth Health Program indefinitely following pressure from government officials.

Steve Ritea, a spokesperson for the hospital, said that the recent departure of its medical director and the “regulatory environment” had exacerbated the legal risks of maintaining its program.

The hospital’s paediatric mental health services would remain open, Ritea told The Guardian in a statement last week.

It comes amid political pressure from US president Donald Trump, who has threatened hospitals and medical institutions with a legal right to provide gender-affirming care for trans youth with heavy sanctions should they continue to do so.

In December, he threatened to revoke federal funding such as Medicare and Medicaid for hospitals providing the life-saving treatment.

Hospitals in Virginia, California, Washington DC, and more US states have caved to the pressure, with many citing “legal and financial risks” for their decision to cancel trans youth healthcare programs.

NYU Langone Health reportedly began cancelling appointments for transgender minors almost immediately following its announcement. The state’s attorney general, Letitia James, warned the hospital that it was in danger of violating anti-discrimination laws should it continue to deny care.

Manhattan Borough president Brad Hoylman-Sigal further urged the institution to reconsider the move, which he said would “jeopardise the lives and well-being of their patients”.

“Studies have shown that ending gender‑affirming care after it has begun without patient consent can carry significant physical and mental health risks,” he told The Guardian. “For these young patients, gender‑affirming care is life‑affirming care.”

A rally condemning the move is reportedly planned for Wednesday (25 February) outside the Stonewall National monument.

Some hospitals, including Boston Children’s Hospital, have defied the Trump administration’s threats, refusing to end their gender service programs.

The hospital, which has previous faced bomb threats over its support for trans youth, said in August it “has always been and always will be” committed to providing care for all patients.

“The proposed bans on medical care, sports participation and other legislation aiming to restrict the rights of transgender and gender-diverse youth are in direct opposition to our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusivity, as well as the standard of care that we live by,” a spokesperson said at the time.

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