In a move that has reignited the nation’s most heated cultural and scientific debates, the Trump administration has reportedly instructed the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to begin funding studies focused on the physical and psychological effects of gender transitioning in children. The directive, issued in March, was communicated via email by then-Acting NIH Director Matthew Memoli, and has sparked strong reactions across both the scientific and political spectrums.
According to internal communications obtained by Nature and NPR, the directive originated from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which oversees the NIH. The email, reportedly sent to several NIH directors, cited an immediate priority for the administration and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: to launch research exploring “regret and detransition” following what the memo controversially described as “chemical and surgical mutilation” in both children and adults.
Two specific areas of focus were outlined:
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Psychological outcomes related to social transition and medical procedures.
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Instances of regret and reversal of gender transition decisions.
The administration is reportedly pushing for funding announcements within six months—a rapid timeline that emphasizes the political urgency of the directive.
The language of the directive has provoked swift condemnation from a number of public health professionals and academic researchers. Critics argue that the terminology—particularly the use of the phrase “chemical and surgical mutilation”—undermines the objectivity of the research and stigmatizes transgender individuals. Experts like Harry Barbee of Johns Hopkins University have noted that such language erodes scientific neutrality and threatens the integrity of the NIH’s mission.
While Barbee supports ethically conducted research into all aspects of transgender health—including detransition—he warned that using politically charged framing distorts scientific goals. Others, like Adrian Shanker, a former Biden administration HHS official, echoed this concern, stating that the administration appears more interested in producing politically favorable conclusions than advancing credible scientific knowledge.
White House orders NIH to research trans “regret” and “detransition.”https://t.co/vLTGiNuhjW
— Rob Stein (@robsteinnews) April 11, 2025
This directive arrives in the context of a broader shift in federal research funding priorities. NBC News previously reported that the Trump administration has canceled over 270 grants related to LGBTQ+ issues, with a cumulative value of more than $125 million. This has raised concerns among advocacy groups and researchers who fear that critical areas of public health are being defunded or sidelined in favor of ideologically driven agendas.
Despite the criticism, some in the academic community acknowledge the need for more research on detransition, an area that has received relatively little empirical attention. Michael Biggs of the University of Oxford emphasized the importance of building a stronger evidence base, particularly given the complexity and diversity of transgender experiences.