Senator Marco Rubio, a Republican from Florida, has raised concerns that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) may be hiding information regarding the effects of puberty blockers administered to minors in the context of gender-affirming care. In a letter addressed to NIH Director Dr. Monica Bertagnolli, Rubio emphasizes a study funded by the NIH, which is directed by Dr. Johanna Olson-Kennedy, who also serves as the medical director at the Center for Transyouth Health and Development in Los Angeles.
Rubio points out that the study, initially supported during the Obama administration over nine years ago, has yet to be disclosed publicly, possibly due to apprehensions regarding its political implications. He mentions that Olson-Kennedy and her research team received nearly $6 million from the NIH to explore the physical and mental health effects on children receiving treatments like puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones as part of transitioning processes.
In a report from 2020, Olson-Kennedy revealed that around 25% of children from the study who underwent these medical interventions reported experiencing depression or thoughts of suicide. Rubio suggests that Olson-Kennedy fears the research could be used to argue that puberty blockers do not enhance the mental well-being of young individuals, and he warns that if her findings are indeed being suppressed, it indicates a troubling intertwining of political bias with scientific research. Consequently, he calls for the NIH to investigate Olson-Kennedy and her colleagues to determine if they are deliberately withholding critical findings relating to the adverse effects of puberty blockers and how political influences may compromise NIH research quality.
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