Missouri officials investigate transgender youth clinic

By SUMMER BALLENTINE
Associated Press

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Missouri’s Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey wants a transgender medical center to pause medications for minors amid multiple investigations. Bailey on Friday called for physicians to stop prescribing puberty blockers and hormones to new patients at Washington University Transgender Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. A whistleblower claims minors are put on puberty blockers or hormones unnecessarily or without enough individualized review. Bailey, the state’s Social Services Department, a state licensing agency, Washington University and U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley are also investigating. A spokesman for a Missouri LGBTQ rights group says the organization has only heard positive feedback about care at the clinic.