health

Chicago gender 'care' center uses dubious diagnoses for hormones

A Chicago health facility diagnoses transgender patients with a vague medical condition to prescribe cross-sex hormones despite growing suspicion that the diagnosis is fraudulent.

Chicago gender 'care' center uses dubious diagnoses for hormones

TL;DR

  • Howard Brown Health Center (HBHC) in Chicago allegedly uses a vague diagnosis of 'endocrine disorder' for transgender patients seeking cross-sex hormones.
  • This practice is suspected of being fraudulent, particularly as similar methods have faced national investigations.
  • HBHC's website states this diagnosis is used to avoid stigmatizing transgender patients and prevent their identity from being labeled as a mental illness or gender identity disorder.
  • The facility's policy remains public after HBHC previously expressed concerns about losing funds and removed mentions of child sex changes from its site.
  • A senior HBHC staffer is associated with the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, which faces an FTC lawsuit over allegedly misleading medical guidance for gender-related insurance coverage.