Several major hospitals across the United States are halting hormone treatments and gender-related surgeries for patients under 19, following federal directives and growing health-related concerns about the long-term effects of these procedures on minors.
Rush University Medical Center in Chicago is the latest to announce a pause on hormonal therapies for new patients under 18. While Rush has not offered gender-related surgeries for minors since 2023, the recent decision extends the restriction to include puberty blockers and hormone therapy. Patients already undergoing treatment will not be affected, and adults remain eligible for care.
This growing trend follows a sweeping executive order issued by former President Donald Trump on January 28, 2025, titled “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation.” The order prohibits federal funding, support, or promotion of gender transition procedures for individuals under 19 and directs enforcement of existing laws that restrict such treatments.
The order specifically identifies puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries as prohibited forms of “chemical and surgical mutilation” for minors.
Following the order, the Department of Justice announced it has served over 20 subpoenas to medical professionals and clinics involved in providing gender-affirming procedures to children. Attorney General Pamela Bondi emphasized accountability for providers who, in her words, “mutilated children in the service of a warped ideology.”
Health professionals and hospital systems are increasingly cautious in light of emerging research suggesting elevated mental health risks associated with gender-related procedures in youth. Studies have reported higher rates of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and suicidal ideation among young individuals with gender dysphoria who undergo irreversible surgeries.
Hospitals such as Stanford Medicine, NYU Langone, and the Cleveland Clinic have all scaled back or stopped offering certain gender-affirming treatments to minors. Stanford, for example, cited a careful internal review and federal guidance before officially pausing all gender-related surgeries for patients under 19 as of June 2, 2025.
NewYork-Presbyterian appears to have removed references to puberty suppression and hormone therapy from its COMPASS Program, which previously served as a dedicated resource for gender-diverse youth. A spokesperson noted that the institution is “working through this evolving situation to comply with applicable laws,” adding that patient care remains a top priority.
Experts continue to urge caution. Dr. Brett Osborn, a Florida neurosurgeon, and Jonathan Alpert, a Manhattan-based psychotherapist, have both warned against making irreversible medical decisions without comprehensive psychological evaluation. “You don’t permanently alter your body without exhausting every other option first,” Osborn said, highlighting the lifelong management these treatments often require.
Alpert emphasized that teens with gender dysphoria deserve compassionate and individualized care, but that such care should begin with mental health support, counseling, and lifestyle interventions, not surgery or hormone therapy.
As more health systems reconsider the delivery of gender-affirming treatments, a new medical consensus may be emerging—one that prioritizes long-term health outcomes, informed consent, and psychological stability over rapid medical intervention.
While debates around gender medicine remain deeply polarizing, the current wave of hospital policy changes signals a critical moment in pediatric healthcare. With federal pressure increasing and studies raising alarm, healthcare providers are reevaluating how best to protect the physical and mental well-being of young patients.
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