As the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) continues to defund nearly every research project on transgender health, the White House has directed the agency to focus on studying 'regret' after a person transitions to align their body with their gender identity. Several NIH employees, who were granted anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to the press, confirmed the directive to Nature. Two weeks ago, Matthew Memoli, who was acting NIH director at the time, sent an e-mail to the directors of several NIH institutes. It said that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which is the NIH's parent agency, 'has been directed to fund research on a few specific areas' related to what it calls 'chemical and surgical mutilation' of children and adults ' a reference to gender-affirming care and surgery. 'This is very important to the President and the Secretary' of the HHS, Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the e-mail added. Based on its priorities, the White House sometimes...
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