Texas Children’s Hospital Responds to Departure of Dr. Catherine Gordon Amid Controversy
- An activist doctor who resigned from Texas Children's Hospital has joined the National Institutes of Health.
- The doctor is now advocating for transgender procedures at NIH.
- This move highlights the increasing focus on transgender health issues in the medical field.
Texas Children’s Hospital has publicly stated that the departure of Dr. Catherine Gordon is unrelated to her article published by the American Academy of Pediatrics, which advocates for the use of puberty blockers for transgender youth. The hospital expressed gratitude for her contributions and emphasized its support for her views, despite ongoing debates surrounding the treatment of transgender minors. The article, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), argues for leaving gender-related decisions to healthcare professionals and families. Critics, including America First Legal senior adviser Ian Prior, have accused the Biden administration of promoting what they term "inhumane practices" in transgender healthcare. This sentiment reflects a broader concern among some groups regarding the administration's approach to gender issues, particularly in light of recent legislative discussions. The NIH’s publication, The Catalyst, did not mention Gordon’s affiliation with Texas Children’s, raising questions about the hospital's transparency. Internal communications revealed concerns among officials regarding potential legislation that could restrict access to transgender care for minors. A WPATH official noted that discussions in Washington, D.C., indicated that age-specific regulations could have detrimental effects on care availability. This has led to fears that such measures could extend beyond minors to affect adult transgender individuals as well. In a related development, former surgery resident Dr. Haim accused Texas Children’s of misleading the public about its transgender medicine program. He described his experience as a politically charged investigation, asserting that he faced repercussions for speaking out about the hospital's practices. Additionally, recent reports highlighted HHS officials discussing strategies to suppress whistleblowers, further complicating the ongoing discourse surrounding transgender healthcare.