President Donald Trump’s nominee for a top post at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) told senators on July 16 that he opposes giving drugs such as puberty blockers to children experiencing gender dysphoria.
Dr. Brian Christine, nominated to serve as assistant secretary for health, said during his confirmation hearing in Washington that gender dysphoria—distress stemming from the belief that one’s gender is different from one’s birth sex—is real.
“The best treatment for these individuals, in my opinion, and according to science, is that they be treated with compassionate counseling—expert counseling—and they be treated with support and care and love,” he said. “We know that if you treat minors with gender dysphoria in that way, then the vast majority of them, by the time they reach their late teens, will no longer suffer from gender dysphoria. They’re happy in their own skin. And so the point of that is, first, do no harm.”
Christine also said that “the way to treat them is not with chemicals and puberty blockers and hormones and surgeries that do irreversible damage.”
The previous assistant secretary of health, Dr. Rachel Levine, is a male but as an adult began using a female name and presenting as a woman. Levine repeatedly promoted giving drugs such as puberty blockers to minors, describing the practice in a 2022 social media post as “medically necessary, safe, and effective for trans and non-binary youth.”
Levine also supported carrying out surgeries such as breast removal on minors with no age limits, according to excerpts of emails released during a court case.
HHS earlier this year said that children with gender dysphoria should receive therapy, as opposed to drugs or surgeries.
Christine said in his opening statement before the Senate Health Committee that he is “a thought leader, a surgical innovator, and a medical educator” and would bring a perspective to Washington shaped by spending each day speaking with and treating patients.
He said that he views doctors and other health care providers as overworked, while the United States struggles with a lack of trust in the health care system. He expressed enthusiasm for Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s top priorities, including removing additives from food and restoring trust in health care.
“I intend to work diligently, if I have the privilege of being confirmed, to support him in that, in that quest to make Americans healthier than they’ve ever been,” he told senators.
Republicans on the panel largely signaled support for Christine, an Alabama-based urologist. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) said Christine has “deep medical expertise” and “a clear vision for reform.”
Democrats said they opposed the nominee. Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) said that Christine’s refusal to say he would follow the law if asked by Trump to take an action that would break it was disqualifying.
Republicans control the Senate, so they can advance and confirm Christine without the support of Democrats.
Vaccines
Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) all asked Christine questions related to vaccines.
Sanders asked whether Christine, if confirmed, would use his position to promote vaccines.
“I believe, as does Secretary Kennedy, that vaccines save lives,” Christine said. “I believe that vaccines are an important part of the armamentarium that we have to help prevent disease in this country. I support vaccinations, just as Secretary Kennedy does, and what we also support is the right of every individual to make informed consent decisions about what’s right for them or for their children.”
Sanders said that Kennedy has “spent years trying to undermine the belief and the faith in vaccines in this country.”
Kaine questioned whether Christine would recommend that his patients receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
“I think that COVID vaccine, like any medical therapy or any vaccine, is going to have inherent risks and benefits,” Christine said.
“What I would feel most comfortable with is making sure that the patient has access to good information.”
Kaine described that answer as troubling.
Hickenlooper noted that HHS, acting at Kennedy’s direction, recently removed recommendations for COVID-19 vaccination for healthy children and pregnant women from immunization schedules.
“Secretary Kennedy has always been clear, and he believes we need to follow the science when it comes to any kind of medical therapy,” Christine responded. “And that would apply to vaccines and to immunizations regarding what is recommended was on the schedule.”
When Hickenlooper asked how Christine looks at various topics when there’s disagreement within the scientific community, Christine said he believes that reproducing results from studies is probably the best way to figure out the right answer.
Cassidy, chairman of the Senate Health Committee, ended the hearing by stating that “the science clearly, reproducibly, over and over again,” has shown that vaccines are safe and urged Christine to commit to being a vaccine “evangelist.”
“I believe that vaccines save lives,” Christine said.
“If even one individual dies from a preventable disease, a disease that could be prevented by vaccination, that’s certainly one too many, and I believe Secretary Kennedy feels that same way.”
Christine also repeated that he’s aware that any medical therapy, including vaccines, has risks.
“Of course, there’s always risk, but there’s been a lot of emphasis upon the risk, but no emphasis upon the risk of not being vaccinated,” Cassidy said, repeating his encouragement that the nominee evangelize on vaccines.
“I will absolutely be an evangelist that vaccinations are important,” Christine said. “Vaccines do save lives. I personally would recommend the measles vaccine. I believe that Secretary Kennedy is now doing the same, and so I will use that position to be an evangelist to help individuals understand and to bring them to want to pursue the appropriate vaccination schedule and what’s right for them.”