A physician who runs the largest youth gender clinic in the U.S. has admitted that she refused to publish the results of a $10 million taxpayer-funded study showing puberty-blockers had no positive mental health benefits on gender-dysphoric children.

Dr. Johanna Olson-Kennedy, who heads the youth gender clinic at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, told the New York Times that she feared that the results of the study could be “weaponized” by opponents of so-called “gender-affirming care.”

The revelation that Olson-Kennedy refused to release the study’s results prompted swift and pointed criticism from advocates who have fought to protect minor children from being subjected to gender-affirming procedures that have irreversible consequences.

Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, who has been under attack by gender activists for years for her opposition to men being allowed in women-only spaces, tweeted that the study wasn’t published because it provides medical evidence that children are being harmed.

‘We must not publish a study that says we’re harming children because people who say we’re harming children will use the study as evidence that we’re harming children, which might make it difficult for us to continue harming children.’ pic.twitter.com/hS4CcswkXg

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) October 23, 2024

The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, commenced in 2015 and tracked 95 children with an average age of 11 who were administered puberty-blocking drugs that prevent natural bodily development including breast growth in females and voice changes in males.

According to the New York Times, about 25% of the participants in the study “were depressed or suicidal” prior to treatment.

However, the study revealed that, after two years, the patients being given puberty-blockers showed no improvement in mental health.

Olson-Kennedy claimed that this was because the participants were already “in really good shape.”

At least one participating researcher, a clinical and research psychologist at Boston College named Amy Tishelman, expressed frustration with the decision to refuse to publish the results.

Tishelman said, “I understand the fear about it being weaponized, but it’s really important to get the science out there. No change isn’t necessarily a negative finding — there could be a preventative aspect to it,” also noting, “We just don’t know without more investigation.”

Olson-Kennedy’s concerns about there being political fallout to her decision to withhold the data has become something of a self-fulfilling prophecy as Republicans in Congress have launched an investigation into the matter.

NEWS: Republicans in Congress launch investigation into Johanna Olson-Kennedy withholding findings from puberty blocker study of gender dysphoric minors following @NYTimes report. https://t.co/HX0PHDO4H3 pic.twitter.com/uTMhw3ciu9

— Benjamin Ryan (@benryanwriter) October 25, 2024