(HARRISBURG, PA – October 8, 2024) Pennsylvania’s health care system has subjected thousands of children to harmful puberty blockers, so-called “sex-reassignment” drugs, and even irreversible surgeries on otherwise healthy bodies. A series of Right-To-Know requests also revealed these are being funded by millions in taxpayer dollars.
“These reports reveal children as young as pre-K are starting what the state categorizes as ‘sex reassignment and transition related services and drugs’ in Pennsylvania and hundreds of minors are having irreversible sexual cosmetic surgeries,” states Dan Bartkowiak with PA Family Institute. “We are violating the duty to care and protect vulnerable children by allowing these types of drugs and harmful interventions to continue at such a young age. Children are being experimented on and permanently harmed, and it will only get worse unless someone in authority steps in to do what is right and necessary.”
The release of this information coincides with the release of a nationwide database of children’s hospitals (StopTheHarmDatabase.com) revealing more alarming facts about the damage being done to children in Pennsylvania, with one of the worst offenders in the nation being the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). To learn more from Do No Harm on this new database, click here.
The following is information obtained by Pennsylvania Family Institute through Right-To-Know requests through the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services:
1. “Services related to sex reassignment and transition related services and drugs”
- Children in pre-K are receiving “services related to sex reassignment and transition related services and drugs” paid for by taxpayers.
- In 2021, there were 197 children aged 12 and under that received taxpayer-funded “sex reassignment and transition related services and drugs” in Pennsylvania. In 2015, there were only 17 children aged 12 and under receiving such drugs and procedures.
- In 2023, there were 1,918 young people aged 13 to 18 that received taxpayer-funded “sex reassignment and transition related services and drugs” in Pennsylvania. In 2015, there were only 90 individuals aged 13 to 18.
- Between 2015 – 2023, 4,933 total individuals aged 18 and under were given taxpayer-funded “services related to sex reassignment and transition related services and drugs.”
2. “Gender affirmation surgical procedures”
- Medicaid has paid for “gender affirmation surgical procedures” for minors. (March 8, 2024)
- In 2020, taxpayers paid for 41 “gender affirmation surgical procedures” in Pennsylvania. (March 8, 2024)
- Taxpayers have paid for hundreds of “gender affirmation surgical procedures” on Medicaid recipients age 18 and older. (March 8, 2024)
3. Taxpayer-Funding
- $21,849,286.84 has been spent on “Pennsylvania Medical Assistance spending on sex reassignment and transition related services and drugs” between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2023 on recipients aged 18 and younger.
- In 2023, the total spent was over $5 million ($5,149,694). In 2015, the total was $58,919.22.
- $227,598.73 has been spent through CHIP on “Pennsylvania Medical Assistance spending on sex reassignment and transition related services and drugs” between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2023. In 2023, the spending totaled $71,961.25. In 2015, the spending totaled $975.58.
Dr. Nadia Dowshen, Co-Director of the Gender & Sexuality Development Clinic at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), has stated that “age is just a number” and admits irreversible surgeries are happening on children as young as age 14.
Data from the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services reveals that over a nine-year period (between 2015 – 2023) there has been an alarming increase in the number of children being harmed and the amount of taxdollars being used to back this harm:
- A nearly 12-fold increase in the number of children 12 and under subjected to “sex reassignment” drugs and procedures.
- An 18-fold increase in the total number of patients age 18 and under.
- An 82-fold increase in the amount of taxpayer funding being used for these types of drugs and procedures on patients 18 and under.
“Thousands of children in Pennsylvania are using millions in taxpayer dollars to pay for non-FDA approved puberty blockers and ‘sex-reassignment’ procedures – and even irreversible elective surgeries. This harm on Pennsylvania’s future has to change,” added Bartkowiak.
