Facing a federal ban and the potential loss of funding, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center has pledged to find a way to continue performing sex-change procedures on children in New Hampshire.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a new rule Thursday banning hospitals from performing what he called “sex-rejection procedures” on children.
“Doctors assume a solemn obligation to protect children, yet doctors across the country now provide needless and irreversible sex-rejecting procedures that violate their sacred Hippocratic oath by endangering the very lives they are sworn to safeguard,” Kennedy said.
“They have betrayed the estimated 300,000 American youths ages 13 to 17, conditioned to believe that sex can be changed,” he added. “This is not medicine. It is malpractice.”
As part of the Trump administration’s efforts, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will release a notice of proposed rulemaking to bar hospitals from performing sex-rejecting procedures on children younger than 18 as a condition of participation in Medicare and Medicaid programs.
At the news conference on Thursday, Dr. Mehmet Oz, who oversees CMS, outlined the risks to children from sex-rejecting treatments.
“Puberty blockers reduce bone density, alter brain development — which is a real problem when you’re 11, 12 or 13 — and can disrupt sexual function for the rest of your life,” Oz said. “Cross-sex hormones cause irreversible changes, including infertility, loss of sexual function, even cardiovascular issues, as well as long-term cardioendocrine problems. And of course, the surgical interventions, where you remove healthy organs — as despicable and reprehensible as that is — permanently alter appearances and destroy children’s lives.”
Polls show Granite Staters overwhelmingly agree with the Trump administration’s policy and oppose sex-change procedures for minor children. Gov. Kelly Ayotte, a Republican, signed a law banning the practice earlier this year.
A day earlier, the U.S. House passed legislation banning doctors from treating children for gender dysphoria with surgery or puberty blockers. Reps. Maggie Goodlander and Chris Pappas both voted against the ban.
Nevertheless, Dr. Keith Loud, physician in chief at Dartmouth Health Children’s, said leaders at New Hampshire’s largest hospital system are still trying to determine how to continue offering the treatments to minor children.
“We are dismayed by the announcement of proposed rules and yesterday’s U.S. House vote regarding gender-affirming health care for children and adolescents, which creates significant distress and uncertainty for the patients and families we serve,” Loud said. “While these actions were anticipated, we are actively engaged with coalitions to evaluate next steps, and we are reviewing the proposed rule carefully to understand its implications, particularly for families who rely on us for comprehensive, evidence-based care delivered by our medical experts.”
As support for performing those procedures on children has declined and more data has been released, raising questions about their medical efficacy, Dartmouth-Hitchcock has remained an aggressive advocate for the treatments.
Several Granite State political leaders, however, praised the Trump administration’s policy.
“There’s big money to be made in so-called gender-affirming care, which inflicts irreversible damage on children,” said state Rep. Jim Kofalt (R-Wilton), House speaker pro tempore and a member of the House Health and Human Services Committee.
“Hospitals that continue to perform these procedures should bear in mind that New Hampshire lawmakers have been crystal clear. We will not stand by idly as members of the medical profession violate a core premise of the Hippocratic oath: ‘First, do no harm.’ Providers who ignore state or federal safeguards or attempt to circumvent them should expect repercussions,” Kofalt said.
State Sen. Kevin Avard (R-Nashua) said so-called gender-affirming care “is dangerous and has ruined countless lives for young people, many of whom have testified in our State House that they regret their decision and have decided to detransition. These new policies are about protecting our youth, rather than capitulating to the radical activist left.”
The Republican Attorneys General Association released a statement supporting the policy, saying Thursday’s announcement “helps restore sanity to our nation’s health care system by protecting children from chemical castration and surgical mutilation procedures.”
Asked about the new policy, New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella told NHJournal, “New Hampshire has taken a clear position when it comes to protecting children from irreversible medical procedures, and our state law reflects that commitment. The Trump administration’s actions are consistent with the approach New Hampshire has already adopted and align with our goals of prioritizing the health, safety, and long-term well-being of children.”
The new restrictions will not prevent Dartmouth-Hitchcock from offering care to children who identify as transgender, but they will change the type of care offered, Loud said.
“While legal constraints may limit the scope of care we can provide in the future, our commitment to this patient population remains as steadfast as ever,” he said. “Our priority remains ensuring our patients receive compassionate, appropriate care while maintaining our ability to serve the broader community through vital Medicare and Medicaid programs.
