St. Louis Children's Hospital has announced its Transgender Center will no longer provide puberty blockers and hormones after Missouri’s governor signed the Save Adolescents from Experimentation Act, or SAFE Act.
Gov. Mike Parson signed the legislation into law in June. It took effect August 28.
“We support everyone’s right to his or her own pursuit of happiness; however, we must protect children from making life-altering decisions that they could come to regret in adulthood once they have physically and emotionally matured,” the Republican governor tweeted after the bill signing.
Michelle Cretella, a physician with Advocates Protecting Children, says the transgender center complained the new law gives minors a legal claim which subjects the hospital to "unacceptable" levels of legal liability.
AFN can confirm the hospital cited legal liabilities as the reason for ending its controversial services to minors. According to an Associated Press story, the new law stipulates physicians must pay at least $500,000 in punitive damages, and can lose their medical license, if a former patient wins a lawsuit. Former patients can legally sue years after treatment.
"This is a tremendous win for children's health,” she tells AFN. “And we would like to see it travel across all health systems as soon as possible but also to make its way into holding school systems accountable."
Left-wing groups have predictably sued over the new law in an attempt to stop it. The next court hearing is scheduled for Sept. 22, according to the AP story.
