All News
British government Makes puberty blocker ban for kids permanent
The United Kingdom has permanently banned the prescription of puberty blockers for children undergoing gender transition, citing safety concerns. This decision by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) follows advice from the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM), which highlighted an unacceptable safety risk and instances of poor medical practices in the prescribing environment. The DHSC emphasized the need for a safer prescribing environment and criticized the practices of private practitioners, especially those prescribing to U.K. children from abroad.
By: Tyler Arnold
Catholic healthcare providers can't be forced to do gender surgeries: U.S. Court
A U.S. appeals court has ruled that the Biden administration cannot compel Catholic healthcare providers to perform gender transition surgeries, citing a violation of their religious freedoms. The courts found that enforcing this requirement under the Affordable Care Act, which prohibits sex discrimination in healthcare, infringes on the religious rights protected by the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. This ruling highlights the ongoing legal and ethical debates surrounding healthcare provisions and religious beliefs in the context of gender identity and transition-related care.
By: Daniel Wiessner
Catholic hospitals criticize report alleging they provide surgeries for trans youth
Catholic hospitals are disputing a report by the conservative group Do No Harm, which claims that 28 Catholic health systems provided gender-affirming surgeries to minors between 2019 and 2023. The report, based on anonymous billing data, has been criticized for its flawed methodology, including the use of non-specific treatment codes and a lack of patient age and sex information. Despite these criticisms, some bishops have endorsed the report, calling for a special meeting to address the issue.
By: Katie Collins Scott, NCR
Bishop Daly: USCCB Meeting Needed to Address Transgender Treatments in Catholic Hospitals
Bishop Daly, the bishop of Spokane, believes that Church leaders should openly confront and address this issue of Catholic Hospitals providing transgeder treatments. He advocates for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) to hold a formal meeting to discuss the role of Catholic hospitals in offering procedures related to gender transitions, such as puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries that alter biological sex characteristics. The bishop also expresses concern about external pressures from secular society and government regulations that may compel Catholic hospitals to perform these procedures.
By: Matthew McDonald
Report: Nearly 150 Catholic Hospitals Provided Transgender Surgeries or Drugs to Children
A report by Do No Harm claims that nearly 150 Catholic hospitals in the U.S. provided hormone therapy or gender-transition surgeries to minors between 2019 and 2023, despite Church teachings prohibiting such procedures. The data indicates that over 520 minors received these treatments, with 152 surgeries performed at 33 hospitals. Providence, a Catholic health network, conducted half of these surgeries across its facilities in five states. The Catholic Health Association (CHA) criticized the report's methodology, stating it lacks context and stigmatizes LGBTQ communities, while Do No Harm defended its findings as accurately highlighting child safety concerns. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) reaffirms that gender-transition interventions contradict Catholic teachings on human dignity and urges Catholic healthcare to prioritize supportive psychotherapy.
By: Tyler Arnold