Hospital and physician groups ask DOJ to investigate threats to gender-affirming care

Photo: Anastassiya Bezhekeneva/Getty Images

The American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association have sent a letter to the U.S. Attorney General urging the Department of Justice to investigate the threats of violence against physicians, hospitals and families of children for providing and seeking gender-affirming care.  

“From Boston to Akron to Nashville to Seattle, children’s hospitals, academic health systems, and physicians are being targeted and threatened for providing evidence-based healthcare,” the October 3 letter to AG Merrick Garland said. “These attacks have not only made it difficult and dangerous for institutions and practices to provide this care, they have also disrupted many other services to families seeking care.”

In one hospital, the letter said, a new mother was prevented from being with her preterm infant because the hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit was on lockdown due to a bomb threat.

The groups wrote, “We stand with the physicians, nurses, mental health specialists, and other health care professionals who provide evidence-based healthcare, including gender-affirming care, to children and adolescents.”

WHY THIS MATTERS

Their request comes as threats ramp up against physicians and hospitals that provide medical care for transgender children, including hormonal therapy and surgery for older teens.

Children’s hospitals have been targeted on social media for providing gender-affirming care, according to STAT, prompting them to strip information about these services from their websites. The harassment has been most pronounced at Boston Children’s Hospital, but at least 20 other children’s hospitals have been targeted on social media, the report said. 

Because of this, the organizations are also calling on technology platforms to do more.

“The attacks are rooted in an intentional campaign of disinformation, where a few high-profile users on social media share false and misleading information targeting individual physicians and hospitals, resulting in a rapid escalation of threats, harassment, and disruption of care across multiple jurisdictions,” the letter said. “Our organizations have called on technology companies to do more to prevent this practice on digital platforms, and we now urge your office to take swift action to investigate and prosecute all organizations, individuals, and entities responsible.”

Children’s hospitals nationwide have increased security and are working with law enforcement, while some providers now need constant security, the letter said. CHA represents more than 220 hospitals serving kids nationwide.

THE LARGER TREND

In June, a Texas judge temporarily blocked the state from investigating families of transgender children who have received gender-confirming medical care, according to CBS News. The ruling came about a month after the Texas Supreme Court allowed the state to investigate parents of transgender youth for child abuse.

Proposed legislation in several states seeks to limit kids’ access to transgender care or criminalize doctors and parents who seek it, the report said.

Boston Children’s became the focus of far-right social media accounts, news outlets and bloggers after they found informational YouTube videos published by the hospital about surgical offerings for transgender patients, according to AP and other reports.

The AAP and AMA collectively represent more than 270,000 physicians and medical students and CHA represents more than 220 children’s hospitals across the country. 

ON THE RECORD

“Whether it’s newborns receiving intensive care, children getting cancer treatments or families accessing compassionate care for their transgender adolescents, all patients seeking treatment deserve to get the care they need without fear for their personal safety,” said AAP President Dr. Moira Szilagyi. 

“Individuals in all workplaces have the right to a safe environment, out of harm’s way and free of intimidation or reprisal,” said AMA President Dr.  Jack Resneck Jr. “As physicians, we condemn groups that promote hate-motivated intolerance and toxic misinformation that can lead to grave real-world violence and extremism and jeopardize patients’ health outcomes.”

“We are committed to providing safe, supportive and inclusive healthcare environments for each and every child and family, and the clinicians and staff who are dedicated to caring for children,” said CHA President Amy Wimpey Knight. “Threats and acts of violence are not a solution, nor a substitute, for civil dialogue about issues of a child or teen’s health and wellbeing.”

Twitter: @SusanJMorse
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