NY AG Demands Hospitals Resume 'Gender-Affirming Care' for Minors

Letitia James orders NYU Langone to restart controversial treatments despite concerns over their safety and ethics.

Mar. 12, 2026 at 11:04pm

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In a controversial move, New York Attorney General Letitia James has ordered NYU Langone Health to resume offering 'gender-affirming care' for minors, including puberty blockers and hormone treatments. This comes after the hospital had discontinued its Transgender Youth Health Program in February due to concerns over the procedures. James claims the hospital is required to provide this care under state law, but the hospital has pushed back, arguing the treatments are not genuine healthcare and can be harmful to vulnerable children.

Why it matters

This case highlights the ongoing debate over 'gender-affirming care' for minors, with advocates claiming it is lifesaving while critics argue the treatments are experimental and can have serious long-term consequences. The clash between state and federal policies on this issue adds further complexity.

The details

In mid-February, NYU Langone Health discontinued its Transgender Youth Health Program, which had provided puberty blockers and hormone treatments to adolescents and younger children diagnosed as transgender. This move came after pressure from the Trump administration, which had sought to ban federal funding for hospitals offering such procedures. However, New York Attorney General Letitia James has now ordered the hospital to resume these services by March 11, claiming the state's anti-discrimination laws require it. The hospital has pushed back, arguing the treatments are not genuine healthcare and can be harmful to vulnerable children.

  • In mid-February 2026, NYU Langone Health discontinued its Transgender Youth Health Program.
  • On March 11, 2026, the deadline set by Attorney General Letitia James for NYU Langone to resume 'gender-affirming care' for minors.

The players

Letitia James

The Attorney General of the state of New York, who has ordered NYU Langone Health to resume offering 'gender-affirming care' for minors.

NYU Langone Health

A major healthcare provider in New York that discontinued its Transgender Youth Health Program in February 2026, but has now been ordered by the state Attorney General to resume these services.

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What’s next

It remains to be seen how NYU Langone Health will respond to the Attorney General's order, and whether the hospital will face any legal or financial consequences if it continues to refuse to provide the controversial 'gender-affirming care' treatments.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing debate over the ethics and safety of 'gender-affirming care' for minors, with the state government and medical providers at odds over whether these treatments should be offered, especially to young children and adolescents.