MO attorney general calls for moratorium on puberty blockers for children during investigation into St. Louis transgender center

ST. LOUIS (KMOV) – Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey is calling for a moratorium on puberty blockers shortly after he launched an investigation into the Washington University Pediatric Transgender Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital.

Thursday, News 4 reported that Bailey launched an investigation after a whistleblower who worked there as a case manager claimed the center was causing permanent harm to its patients. The whistleblower, identified in a sworn affidavit as Jamie Reed, alleged the center used puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones without the complete informed consent of the parents of the children getting treatment.

The following day, Bailey sent a letter to Trish Lollo, President of St. Louis Children’s Hospital, and Dr. Andrew Martin, Chancellor of Washington University in St. Louis. In the letter, he urged the institutions to stop prescribing puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to new patients until the investigation is complete.

“I want Missouri to be the safest state in the nation for children, which is why we are calling for an immediate moratorium on the Transgender Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital prescribing puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones to any new patients,” said Attorney General Andrew Bailey. “We are hopeful that the leaders of these institutions will choose to do the right thing for the safety of Missouri’s children, as we work to root out any possibility of children being harmed by predatory adults with a radical social agenda.”

Thursday afternoon, a spokesperson for St. Louis Children’s Hospital directed News 4 to a statement from Washington University on the matter. The statement said the allegations were being looked into.

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