Children’s Hospital Los Angeles announces major change to transgender care policy

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles announced that it is pausing the start of transgender hormonal therapy for patients under the age of 19.

In a statement issued Tuesday, hospital officials said they are suspending the care to assess an executive order signed last week by President Trump banning the use of hormones, puberty blockers and other transgender medical procedures on minors. 

“It is the policy of the United States that it will not fund, sponsor, promote, assist, or support the so-called ‘transition’ of a child from one sex to another, and it will rigorously enforce all laws that prohibit or limit these destructive and life-altering procedures,” a portion of the order reads.

Families of transgender youth represented by the ACLU, Lambda Legal and other firms filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over the order on Tuesday claiming it violated the rights of transgender youth, the Los Angeles Times reported. 

CHLA stated that the pause on initiating hormonal therapy for youth began on Feb. 1 but that patients already undergoing hormonal treatment will be able to continue.

The hospital also said that an “existing pause” on gender-affirming surgeries for minors will continue, the Times reported.