Children’s Hospital Removes Gender Clinic Director from Website

The Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles (CHLA) has taken significant steps to distance itself from Dr. Johanna Olson-Kennedy, the former medical director of its pediatric gender clinic. The hospital has removed her profile from its website, which previously described her as a “national expert” in gender medicine and the director of the largest transgender youth clinic in the United States. This profile was last archived on July 11, 2025.

Additionally, CHLA has eliminated the webpage for Olson-Kennedy’s research laboratory and she is no longer listed as an active provider in the hospital’s physician database. These changes come on the heels of growing scrutiny surrounding the clinic and its practices.

Dr. Olson-Kennedy oversaw a long-term National Institute of Health (NIH) study examining the mental health impacts of puberty blockers on gender-confused children. Reports indicate she withheld results that suggested these treatments did not improve mental health outcomes. The study’s preprint was eventually published in May 2025, raising further questions about her management of sensitive research.

In a broader context, CHLA announced the closure of its Transyouth Health and Development clinic on July 22, 2025. This decision was reportedly influenced by President Donald Trump’s executive order, which prohibited the use of federal funds for promoting child sex-change procedures. The clinic communicated its commitment to the gender-diverse community but indicated that legal and financial pressures made the closure necessary.

“Despite this deeply held commitment to supporting LA’s gender-diverse community, the hospital has been left with no viable path forward except to close the Center for Transyouth Health and Development,” the clinic stated on its website.

The closure has sparked criticism and support from various groups. The medical watchdog organization Do No Harm identified CHLA’s gender clinic as one of the “12 worst-offending children’s hospitals promoting sex change treatments for minors.” Dr. Stanley Goldfarb, Board Chairman of Do No Harm, stated, “I think we’re saving a lot of children from a lot of harm,” emphasizing the lack of evidence supporting the effectiveness of these treatments on psychological well-being.

CHLA is one of over 20 hospital systems that ceased providing child sex-change procedures following the executive actions initiated by the Trump administration. The administration has characterized the clinical guidelines from the World Professional Association of Transgender Health (WPATH), to which Olson-Kennedy belongs, as “junk science.” The U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions is currently investigating WPATH’s standards, which have influenced healthcare policies regarding gender transition treatments.

In a related legal development, Dr. Olson-Kennedy faces a lawsuit for medical malpractice from Kaya Clementine Breen, who claims she was “fast-tracked” into harmful interventions under Olson-Kennedy’s care. Breen alleges she received puberty blockers at age 12, cross-sex hormones at age 13, and underwent a double mastectomy at age 14. The lawsuit claims Olson-Kennedy misled Breen and her family about the necessity and timing of these procedures.

As CHLA navigates the fallout from these developments, the hospital has not publicly responded to multiple requests for confirmation of Olson-Kennedy’s current employment status. Neither Olson-Kennedy nor her representatives have provided comments regarding the ongoing scrutiny.

The changes at CHLA reflect a significant shift in the landscape of pediatric gender treatment in the United States, as institutions reassess their practices in light of evolving political and social pressures.