Michigan Cardiologist Urges Halt to 'Gender-Affirming Care' for Minors
A University of Michigan cardiologist warns that so-called “gender-affirming care” for minors poses serious health risks and undermines public trust in medicine.
ANN ARBOR, MI — Dr. Venk Murthy, a longtime cardiologist and professor at the University of Michigan, called for an end to gender-reassignment treatment for minors, citing scientific, legal, and public concerns. In a commentary for the Independent Women’s Forum, Murthy criticized the University of Michigan Faculty Senate’s decision to resume puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries for patients under 19, arguing that these interventions conflict with international scientific consensus and European precautionary approaches.
Murthy highlighted the 2024 Cass Review and a US Department of Health and Human Services report showing weak evidence for long-term benefits but also significant risks, including infertility, cardiovascular disease, bone-density loss, psychiatric harm, and surgical complications. As a cardiologist, he emphasized the dangers of hormone therapy on developing hearts, including thromboembolic events and cardiac hypertrophy.
“Faculty governance should reflect not just internal ideologies but responsibility to scientific evidence and the communities we serve,” Murthy said. He warned that pursuing these practices damages public trust in medicine, urging humility and caution in treating children experiencing gender distress.
Previously, the UOJ reported that a Texas doctor who "transitioned" children surrendered her medical license.
