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UPMC Children’s Accused of Discrimination After Halting Gender-Affirming Care for Patients Under 19

The state civil-rights filing alleges UPMC Children’s June 30 halt to youth gender-affirming treatments violates Pennsylvania anti-discrimination law.

Overview

  • The Women’s Law Project and Berger Montague filed a complaint with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission on behalf of affected minors, their parents, and two 18-year-old patients.
  • The complaint claims the hospital stopped prescribing puberty blockers and hormone therapy for transgender patients while continuing the same treatments for cisgender patients.
  • UPMC Children’s says it ended certain care on June 30 because executive-branch directives and DOJ subpoenas created a risk of criminal prosecution, and it continues behavioral health services.
  • The Department of Justice sent more than 20 subpoenas in July to providers of transgender youth care as part of investigations into healthcare fraud and false statements.
  • Plaintiffs seek an immediate resumption of care for transgender patients under 19 and reimbursement for medical costs and emotional distress.