Dr. Mehmet Oz leads an unprecedented federal crackdown on hospitals performing transgender surgeries on minors, demanding full disclosure of adverse outcomes and financial data within 30 days.
Key Takeaways
- The Trump administration, through CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, is investigating hospitals that provide transgender surgeries and medications to minors.
- President Trump signed an executive order ending Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements for transgender interventions on minors.
- Federal officials cite a recent HHS review showing “very weak evidence of benefit” for these procedures while highlighting significant health risks.
- Hospitals must respond within 30 days with information about informed consent protocols, adverse outcomes, and financial data related to these procedures.
- Critics argue children cannot provide informed consent for irreversible medical procedures that can cause permanent harm including infertility.
Administration Launches Intensive Inquiry into Gender Procedures
The Trump administration has initiated a thorough investigation into hospitals providing transgender drugs and surgeries to minors across the nation. Leading this oversight initiative is Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, who is demanding detailed information about informed consent protocols, adverse outcomes, and financial data related to these procedures. The inquiry follows President Trump’s executive order stopping Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements for transgender interventions on minors, signaling a significant policy shift in how these controversial procedures are handled at the federal level.
“These are irreversible, high-risk procedures being conducted on vulnerable children, often at taxpayer expense,” Dr. Mehmet Oz, CMS Administrator
Hospitals have been given a 30-day deadline to respond to CMS’s detailed inquiry letter, which expresses urgent concerns about procedures including surgeries altering physical appearance, prescriptions for cross-sex hormones, and puberty blockers. The administration’s approach follows a comprehensive U.S. Department of Health and Human Services review that found “very weak evidence of benefit” for medical interventions in children diagnosed with gender dysphoria, raising serious questions about the ethical implications of these practices.
Financial Scrutiny and Patient Outcomes
A key component of the administration’s investigation includes a detailed financial review of transgender procedures and treatments. Dr. Oz has specifically requested data on the profit margins of federally funded transgender interventions, highlighting concerns about potential financial incentives driving medical decisions. The CMS inquiry is designed to ensure that institutions participating in Medicare and Medicaid maintain appropriate quality standards, particularly when it comes to vulnerable minors who may not fully understand the long-term implications of these medical interventions.
“What medical interventions have you performed on confused kids, how much money are you making from it, and how are those kids faring?” Mary Rice Hasson, Ethics and Public Policy Center Fellow.
The administration is particularly interested in information about children who have undergone “detransition” – the process of reverting to their biological gender after attempting medical transition. Critics of pediatric gender transition have long argued that follow-up with patients is inadequate, leaving many young people to deal with permanent physical changes and potential health complications without proper medical support. CMS’s initiative aims to quantify these outcomes and hold medical institutions accountable for the long-term consequences of their treatment decisions.
Expert Criticism and Lived Experience
Mary Rice Hasson, a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, has strongly criticized what she calls the “gender industry” for claiming evidence-based practices while minimizing serious risks. The concerns extend beyond the immediate effects of treatments to include long-term health issues such as infertility, cardiovascular risks, weakened bone density, and potential neurological impacts. Hasson has expressed skepticism about hospitals’ willingness to comply with the inquiry, citing poor follow-up practices and financial incentives that may influence treatment recommendations.
“Numerous substantive evidence reviews, plus the recent HHS umbrella evidence review, have found the opposite — that there’s very little evidence of benefit, most evidence is poor quality, and children are suffering permanent harm, including infertility/sterilization, cardiovascular risks, weakened bones, and likely changes to the brain,” said Mary Rice Hasson, Ethics and Public Policy Center Fellow.
The testimony of detransitioners like Chloe Cole has been particularly powerful in shaping the conversation around these procedures. Cole, who began transitioning at age 13 and later reversed course, has described herself as having been “failed by the system.” Her advocacy against medical gender transitions for minors highlights the real-world consequences of decisions made during adolescence – a time when children are not permitted to vote, purchase alcohol or tobacco, or even get a tattoo without parental consent, yet some medical institutions facilitate permanent body modifications.
A New Era of Accountability
While some hospitals may deploy legal resources to resist full transparency, the Trump administration appears committed to persisting with its inquiry. The investigation represents a significant shift in federal policy regarding transgender medical interventions for minors, prioritizing evidence-based medicine and proper informed consent over ideological considerations. By focusing on documented outcomes rather than theoretical benefits, Dr. Oz and the administration are establishing a new framework for evaluating these controversial procedures.
The requirement for hospitals to report on changes to clinical practice guidelines in response to new federal findings serves as an acknowledgment that medical standards in this area continue to evolve. As more data becomes available about the long-term outcomes of early gender interventions, medical institutions will face increasing pressure to justify practices that result in permanent physical changes to children who may not fully comprehend the lifelong implications of these decisions.
