Grand Rapids — In a long-overdue return to medical sanity, Corewell Health, Michigan’s largest healthcare system, has officially ended its controversial practice of prescribing puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to minors.
With more than 20 hospitals and hundreds of outpatient locations across the state, this marks a major shift away from so-called “gender-affirming care,” which hasn’t even existed long enough to be fully studied.
According to Corewell, the decision was driven by federal liability risks. In other words: President Trump’s executive order from earlier this year is working.
The healthcare system says it will continue offering mental health care to children struggling with gender dysphoria or identity issues, stating, “We will continue to compassionately address the health needs of our patients who are in transition or wish to transition, including providing mental health support.”
Corewell now joins Michigan Medicine in ending pediatric gender transition services. That makes two of the state’s largest and most influential medical institutions that are no longer participating in these experimental treatments on children.
Still, the mainstream media is lamenting the decision, and Michigan Democrats aren’t happy about it. Attorney General Dana Nessel took to Instagram to say that the move “…fails to adequately consider the long-term consequences to the health and well-being of children.”
But isn’t that exactly what this move considers? Giving kids sterilizing drugs and calling it “care” should have never been normal.
While these interventions are still technically legal in Michigan, Corewell and Michigan Medicine stepping away from them is a massive shift. It’s a step toward restoring healthcare to what it should be: protecting children, not experimenting on them.
Emily Richett is a mom of four, former news reporter, podcaster, and author of “Mama Bear Survival.”
