A blockbuster report in the New York Times said researchers trying to prove the effectiveness of puberty blockers refused to publish their results if it didn't fit their political agenda.
This research was conducted by Johanna Olson-Kennedy. She has been described as an “influential physician and advocate for adolescent gender treatment,” and in 2015, along with colleagues at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, raised millions of dollars to document transgender treatment. received. young people, According to to the Times.
“I understand the fear of being weaponized, but getting the science out there is so important.”
Olson-Kennedy and colleagues administered puberty blockers to 95 children and followed them for two years to find evidence that the controversial treatment reduces depression and mental illness associated with body dysmorphic disorder. I investigated.
Years later, Olson-Kennedy admitted that the results were not what he had hoped for and gave dubious excuses for not making them public.
“They've been in very good condition since they came in, and they're still in very good condition two years later,” she said.
However, the Times report said this claim contradicts previous descriptions of the child cohort, which found that a quarter of children were suicidal or depressed before being treated with puberty blockers. pointed out.
And although it's been nine years since she received the funds, she said they haven't released the results because of political motivations.
“We don't want our work to be weaponized,” she said. “You have to be right to the point, clear and concise, and that takes time.”
Olson-Kennedy also blamed the delay on budget cuts, but the Times again rejected that excuse, reporting that the researchers had received $9.7 million so far for the extensive study.
The Times subsequently received comments from other researchers who were alarmed by Olson-Kennedy's actions.
“The fear of being weaponized is understandable, but it's really important to get the science out there,” said Amy Tichelman, a clinical and research psychologist at Boston University.
“No change is not necessarily a negative finding; there may be a preventive aspect,” she added. “We won't know until we investigate further.”
Pediatrician Dr. Hilary Cass said delayed results mislead the public about whether treatment for transgender people is actually beneficial.
“It's really important to get results so we can understand if it's helpful and for whom it's helpful,” she says.
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