Lurie Children’s Hospital has announced that it is pausing gender-affirming care medications for patients under the age of 18. The hospital cited federal pressure and an uncertain legal environment.
In a Jan. 21 statement, the hospital said that “as we await Federal court rulings and assess the rapidly evolving legal landscape, at this time, Lurie Children’s will not initiate gender-affirming medications for patients under age 18 who have not previously been treated with these therapies by our team.”
Lurie Children’s pointed specifically to actions by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, including “their announcement on January 15th of a referral for an investigation of Lurie Children’s,” saying those actions “have resulted in this decision” and “threaten our ability to care for all of our patients.”
“We empathize with those who are struggling with this decision and who have shown unwavering dedication to supporting gender-diverse patients,” the statement continued. “We remain committed to our patients and families and their ability to access expert medical care.”
Lurie was one of six hospitals that the federal government would investigate for harmful practices, according to the HHS announcement. The other hospitals include Nemours Alfred I. DuPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Delaware; Boston Children’s Hospital; Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; New York University – Langone Health; and Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland, Oregon.
Advocacy group Trans Up Front IL sharply criticized the decision, calling it “pre-compliance” rather than a response to any binding legal change.
“Let us be clear: this is pre-compliance,” the group said in a Jan. 20 statement. “No hospital system has lost federal funding. No court has ruled. No law has changed. What we are witnessing is the result of pressure designed to intimidate health care providers and families before any enforcement has occurred.”
Trans Up Front IL formed in 2025 after organizing a protest over Lurie Children’s earlier reductions to youth gender-affirming care in response to some of President Donald Trump’s early executive orders.