In a move that has stunned researchers and advocates alike, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has reportedly been ordered by the Trump administration to prioritize studies on “regret” and “detransition” in transgender people—while simultaneously defunding nearly all ongoing research into transgender health.
According to an internal email obtained by Nature, the directive came from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under direct orders from the White House. The message, sent by then-acting NIH Director Matthew Memoli, stated that funding should be redirected to research concerning the “chemical and surgical mutilation” of children and adults—an inflammatory phrase now appearing in official documents and echoing language from recent Trump executive orders.
“This is very important to the President and the Secretary,” the memo said, referring to President Trump and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Several NIH employees, who spoke anonymously with Nature, confirmed the pressure being placed on the agency to abandon existing transgender health research in favor of ideologically framed studies. Many within the NIH have voiced concern that this shift represents not just a political intrusion into scientific inquiry but a deliberate attempt to manufacture evidence that aligns with an anti-trans agenda.
“It’s really pigeonholing trans people into this medical lens where the only thing important to know about them is that they seek medical transition—and regret it,” said Dr. Harry Barbee, a researcher at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. “When ideology is prioritized over scientific merit, that threatens the entire scientific enterprise.”
The timing and tone of this directive are deeply concerning to the LGBTQ+ health community. Since January, the Trump administration has canceled more than $180 million in NIH-funded studies related to transgender health—roughly 187 grants according to tracking efforts by researchers at Harvard. Among them is Dr. Brittany Charlton, an epidemiologist who recently filed a lawsuit against the NIH and HHS, alleging a “reckless and illegal purge” of trans-related research.
Charlton’s lawsuit highlights the broader fear that this redirection is not rooted in scientific inquiry but in political messaging. It’s a sentiment echoed by many in the trans community, who worry that the administration is attempting to weaponize research to justify further rollbacks of gender-affirming care.
What makes this directive especially alarming is its use of stigmatizing and medically inaccurate language. “Chemical and surgical mutilation” is not a term recognized by any mainstream medical organization. It evokes fear rather than clarity and serves only to misinform the public and alienate an already vulnerable population.
NIH has not officially responded to questions about the change in priorities. In a statement, HHS claimed it is supporting “research that serves the best interests of public health,” though critics remain unconvinced.
Research consistently shows that gender-affirming care reduces anxiety, depression, and suicidality among transgender individuals. Regret after transition is statistically rare—occurring in fewer than 1% of cases, according to peer-reviewed data.
If the administration moves forward with this new funding focus, it risks creating what Dr. Barbee calls “a distorted research ecosystem where only politically favorable findings are permitted to exist.”
For the transgender community, this shift isn’t just about funding—it’s about whether their lives, health, and identities will be respected by the institutions meant to protect them.
