Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey issued a statement after a whistleblower announced the St. Louis pediatric transgender clinic at Washington University is shutting down. The closure follows an investigation into the clinic’s practices.
“This is a huge win for the rule of law and for the safety of our children,” said Attorney General Bailey. “As a father of four and as Attorney General, I want Missouri to be the safest state in the nation for children. The closure of any clinic that has mutilated children is a major step towards that goal. I will not stop until the clandestine network of clinics mutilating children is permanently dismantled and bad actors are held accountable.”
Bailey launched the investigation into the pediatric transgender center in 2023 after a whistleblower alleged that the center used experimental drugs on children, distributed puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones without individualized assessment, and pressured parents into consenting to give their children life-altering drugs. According to a sworn affidavit, the whistleblower claimed these actions led children to attempt suicide and that the center continued prescribing cross-sex hormones despite harm to the child. Documentary evidence also suggests the center unlawfully billed state taxpayers to fund these actions.
The clinic ceased providing gender transition interventions to minors in September, shortly after Bailey successfully defended in court Missouri’s bill banning such procedures. With this court win, Missouri became the first state to defend at the trial court level a law barring child mutilation. Despite this victory, Bailey’s investigation into the clinic continues.
He is currently engaged in legal battles to force the clinic to turn over documents. His office has been successful in three other lawsuits to compel other clinics to comply with subpoenas.
(Photo by Rudi Keller – Missouri Independent)
