Scientists, Scholars Pan HHS Report Linking Support For Trans People To Political Violence

"Where the Clinic Meets the Movement: Does Gender Ideology Arm Left-Wing Authoritarian Psychology?" — essentially a political ideology questionnaire, The Guardian reported — was neither peer-reviewed as required by law nor published by a scientific journal. “What we’re seeing is this broadside attack on the scientific establishment more generally, and trans rights are being used as the vehicle to do this,” one professor noted. Experts worry the administration might use the study to further its anti-trans campaign, The 19th reported.

The Guardian: ‘Nakedly Political’: US Attempts To Link Trans Support To Authoritarianism In New Health Department Report

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently released a report linking “gender ideology” to leftwing authoritarianism and political violence – a study scientists say was poorly conducted and “nakedly political”, likely leading to greater politicization of science and health. It follows attempts by the administration to limit access to gender-affirming care – including, on Friday, an agreement reached between the Department of Justice and a New York hospital to no longer offer pediatric gender-affirming care. Dozens of hospitals stopped offering gender-affirming care after the Trump administration began investigating them for offering the standard of care. (Schreiber, 9/7)

The 19th: What Trump’s New Study Says About Support For Trans Rights — And Why Experts Are Worried

Researchers who study authoritarianism and political violence have major concerns about the study and how the administration plans to use it. (Rummler and Mithani, 9/4)

More health news from the Trump administration —

NOTUS: HHS Cancels Infant Mortality, Postpartum Grants To Focus On Sperm Counts, ED

The Health Department’s office to improve the health of minorities has abruptly terminated more than half its existing grants, saying they didn’t focus on the Trump administration’s new priorities of addressing infertility and encouraging exercise. Some grantees provided cancer screenings or postpartum home visits. Others worked to reduce first-responder suicide or decrease obesity among Native American youth. All of the funds came from the Office of Minority Health, which the administration tried to shutter last year. (Winfield Cunningham and Katz, 9/4)

AP: US Phases Out Financial Aid For Namibia's HIV Programs

The United States will start phasing out its financial support for Namibia’s HIV response programs, the latest among southern African countries to feel the effects of the withdrawal of foreign aid by the U.S. administration. The U.S. will provide Namibia with $45 million for its HIV response in the 2027 fiscal year but the country will then start funding its own HIV programs, with the U.S. only providing “technical cooperation,” both countries said in statement. (Smith, 9/5)

In military health news —

ABC News: Pentagon 'Temporarily Rescinds' New Testosterone Guidelines

New Pentagon guidelines for mandatory testosterone deficiency screening of male service members aged 30 and above were "temporarily rescinded" from a Defense Department website shortly after they were posted earlier this week, according to a U.S. official. The guidelines emerged from an announcement in mid-July from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that testosterone screenings were to become a part of the military’s annual health check-ups for male service members aged 30 years and older serving on active-duty and the reserves. (Martinez, 9/4)

Military.com: American Legion Backs Psychedelic Therapies For Veterans

The week-long national convention of veterans and active-duty military support organization, The American Legion, came to an end on Sept. 4, with a major development. The organization adopted a resolution that backs the use of psychedelic therapies to treat veterans and other members of the military who may be suffering from mental health conditions such as PTSD, depression or a traumatic brain injury. (Dennis, 9/8)

From Capitol Hill —

The New York Times: Roger Marshall Sued 700 Patients For Debts; 81 Were Arrested. Now He’s A Senator.

Patients sued by Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas were routinely charged 18 percent interest, The Times found. Some had bank accounts garnished. (Kliff, 9/8)

Stat: UnitedHealth Executives Shower High-Ranking Democrat With Donations Ahead Of Midterms

UnitedHealth Group’s top executives, including CEO Stephen Hemsley, and company board members recently flooded the campaign coffers of Rep. Katherine Clark of Massachusetts, the No. 2 Democrat in the House who just beat two opponents in a closely watched primary race. More than 40 officials and board members across UnitedHealth cumulatively donated more than $100,000 to Clark’s campaign during the 2025-2026 election cycle, a STAT analysis of federal records shows. Leading the way was Hemsley and his wife, Barbara, who donated $7,000 each to Clark’s political fund. Hemsley is worth almost $1 billion between his previously exercised stock and remaining stock ownership in UnitedHealth. (Herman, 9/8)

Healthcare Dive: Lawmakers To Subpoena Oracle Execs As EHR Project Costs Rise

The House Veterans Affairs Committee voted unanimously this week to subpoena two leaders at Oracle as costs mount for the multiyear electronic health record modernization at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Lawmakers on Wednesday said they will subpoena Executive Chairman Larry Ellison and CEO Mike Sicilia. The cost ceiling for the EHR modernization project, which Oracle leads, nearly tripled to $27 billion despite just 17 medical centers out of 170 deploying the new medical record system since 2020. (Hughes, 9/4)

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