A top medical center in Tennessee is pausing the removal of breasts and other procedures that it says were performed on transgender youth in recent years.
The Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) disclosed the pause in a letter to a state representative on Oct. 7.
All of the minors were 16 or older, none received “genital procedures,” and parental consent was obtained for all patients, according to Pinson.
Pinson’s letter, a response to the request, said that VUMC would pause the surgeries for minors while the center reviews a new version of recommendations by the World Professional Association of Transgender Health (WPATH) and consults with local and national experts on the updated recommendations.
WPATH’s recommendations say that youth should show “several years of persistent gender diversity [or] incongruence” before being given hormones or surgeries but the group also removed any age restrictions regarding transgender surgeries, which include breast removal and womb removal.
The review may take several months, Pinson said. He also said that if new laws are passed VUMC will comply with them.
Zachary said in a statement that he appreciated the response.
“Glad that VUMC has paused surgeries for children at their transgender clinic. This is a win for the safety of our children, but we’re committed to ensuring this never happens in Tennessee again,” Tennessee House Majority Leader William Lamberth, a Republican, said in a statement.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, has called for lawmakers to pass legislation that would not allow “permanent, life-altering decisions that hurt children,” and a number of legislators said they plan to craft bills to that effect and introduce them in January when lawmakers are due to gather.
