ST. LOUIS–U.S. Senator Josh Hawley launched an investigation into Washington University Transgender Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital after a whistleblower’s report alleges it harmed hundreds of children and that experimental drugs are being used on teenage patients.
The whistleblower worked for the Transgender Center for four years and claims to have witnessed first hand manipulation of minors and their parents, according to a letter Sen. Hawley sent to Washington University chancellor, hospital president and center’s co-directors.
He said “accountability is coming” and asked the university to preserve all documents regarding gender-related clinical treatments performed by the Center and provide his office answers to a series of questions.
“This is a sickening account of forced sterilization and child abuse. Happening in Missouri at an institution that receives federal taxpayer funds,” said Sen. Hawley in a Tweet. He went on to say, “Missouri children deserve to be protected.”
The whistleblower shared her story in The Free Press Thursday.
“I left the clinic in November of last year because I could no longer participate in what was happening there. By the time I departed, I was certain that the way the American medical system is treating these patients is the opposite of the promise we make to “do no harm.” Instead, we are permanently harming the vulnerable patients in our care,” stated the article.
Now that the whistleblower’s report has been published, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s office confirms his office began a full investigation two weeks ago.
His office released a sworn affidavit from the whistleblower and documents supporting her claims.
“We have received disturbing allegations that individuals at the Transgender Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital have been harming hundreds of children each year, including by using experimental drugs on them,” said Bailey.
Bailey’s office says the sworn affidavit asserts the following claims that individuals at the Center are using experimental drugs on children, distributing puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones without individualized assessment, and even giving children these life-altering drugs without parental consent.
The whistleblower also says that the actions taken by the Center have led children to attempt suicide and that the Center never discontinues prescribing cross-sex hormones, no matter how much those drugs are harming the child.
The whistleblower reported that the Center’s “working assumption” was to pursue aggressive and early intervention, despite research indicating that the vast majority of children with cross-gender identification desist by puberty.
The whistleblower further detailed examples of the Center’s staff subverting parents’ wishes regarding their child’s medical treatment, including by testifying against them in court, and pressuring reluctant staff to “get on board, or get out.”
These are some of the other allegations from the whistleblower:
“On several occasions, the doctors have continued prescribing medical transition even when a parent stated that they were revoking consent.”
“The Center does not require children to continue with mental health care after they prescribe cross-sex hormones or puberty blockers and even continues those medications when the patients directly report worsening mental health after initiating those medications. “
“Doctors at the Center also have publicly claimed that they do not do any gender transition surgeries on minors. … This was a lie. The Center regularly refers minors for gender transition surgery. The Center routinely gives out the names and contact information of surgeons to those under the age of 18. At least one gender transition surgery was performed by Dr. Allison Snyder-Warwick at St. Louis Children’s Hospital in the last few years.”
“One doctor at the Center, Dr. Chris Lewis, is giving patients a drug called Bicalutamide. The drug has a legitimate use for treating pancreatic cancer, but it has a side effect of causing breasts to grow, and it can poison the liver. There are no clinical studies for using this drug for gender transitions, and there are no established standards of care for using this drug.”
Sen. Hawley’s letter also mentions the Center counseling St. Louis-area educational authorities to conceal information from parents regarding their children’s cross-gender identification.
He also says if a fraction of the whistleblower’s information is corroborated, the Center should be immediately shut down.
Washington University released this statement to Spectrum News:
We are alarmed by the allegations reported in the article published by The Free Press describing practices and behaviors the author says she witnessed while employed at the university’s Transgender Center. We are taking this matter very seriously and have already begun the process of looking into the situation to ascertain the facts. As always, our highest priority is the health and well-being of our patients. We are committed to providing compassionate, family-centered care to all of our patients and we hold our medical practitioners to the highest professional and ethical standards.