Major blue state hospital pulls plug on controversial child transgender treatments after DOJ intervention
Mount Sinai to Stop Gender‑Affirming Care for Minors in Deal With Justice Department
NEW YORK — In a move that signals the Trump administration’s ongoing push to curb gender‑affirming treatment for children, Mount Sinai Health System, one of the city’s largest hospitals, has agreed to halt all sex‑reassignment procedures for patients under 18. The settlement, reached with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), includes a monetary penalty and a commitment to dedicate $2 million to free medical care for adults who suffered harm from the treatment they received as minors.
The agreement is part of a broader DOJ investigation into hospitals that have offered hormonal therapy and surgical interventions to transgender youth. The investigation, which has already led to settlements with other major centers — including Texas Children’s Hospital, Cleveland Clinic Foundation and Connecticut Children’s Hospital — focuses on alleged violations of federal health‑care laws such as the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and the False Claims Act.
“The Department of Justice is committed to holding accountable medical providers that violate federal law and endanger children through so‑called gender‑affirming care. This agreement puts an end to these practices at Mount Sinai and provides meaningful relief for individuals who have already suffered harm,” Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement.
Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate, who oversees the DOJ’s civil division, added, “A growing number of hospitals, like Mount Sinai, have recognized the medical scandal of sex‑reassuring procedures. While we are grateful when we secure resolutions to end this discredited practice and protect children, we must not and will not rest in our pursuit of justice for the victims it has left behind.”
Mount Sinai’s own statement emphasized its “commitment to safeguarding our patients’ confidential information and protecting our clinicians,” noting that the settlement is “complex” but ultimately reflects the hospital’s dedication to patient safety.
The hospital’s Institute for Advanced Medicine reported in its 2025 annual report that it had provided care to 4,931 transgender and gender‑diverse patients, though it did not disclose how many were minors. Dr. Joshua Safer, Mount Sinai’s executive director of the Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery, has co‑authored the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) guidelines, which the hospital’s protocols previously mirrored. WPATH itself is currently the subject of an FTC lawsuit alleging that its guidelines for pediatric care are “false and unsubstantiated.”
The DOJ’s investigation follows a series of actions taken by the Trump administration. Within a week of taking office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation,” aimed at defunding federal support for gender‑transition procedures and directing federal agencies to reassess policies that rely on WPATH guidance. The order also called for investigations into drug‑safety violations and potential parental rights infringements.
While the DOJ has not released the full terms of the settlement with Mount Sinai, officials said the hospital had been “cooperative, proactive, and solution‑driven” throughout the inquiry. The $2 million earmarked for free care is intended to support adults who now seek help for complications stemming from the treatments they received as children.
The decision comes at a time of heightened scrutiny over gender‑affirming care for minors, with several states and federal agencies weighing the safety and efficacy of such interventions. As the DOJ moves to enforce its findings, the industry watches closely to see whether more institutions will follow Mount Sinai’s lead and re‑evaluate their policies on treating transgender youth.