The UF Student Health Care Center will no longer provide therapeutic gender-affirming care to students, effective May 1.
A message to students who receive these services, sent through the MyUFHealth portal, alerted them to the change Wednesday. The decision comes after evolving state and federal policies have restricted access to services like puberty blockers, hormone replacement therapy and gender-affirming surgery.
“We understand this may be difficult news, and we want to make sure you have clear information and support during this time,” the message read.
The SHCC also offered its guidance in finding new providers and transferring medical records.
“We recommend that you begin transferring to a community provider as soon as possible,” read the message, which The Alligator obtained Thursday. “While we won’t be able to continue this specific type of care, please know that the Student Health Care Center will continue to provide care for other, unrelated medical needs.”
Patients can continue seeing their providers until the May deadline, the note said, but they are encouraged to seek alternative providers in the meantime.
From 2018 to 2022, UF reported over 1,900 patients whose medical files included gender dysphoria, according to a state-ordered report acquired by the Tampa Bay Times. Those figures include patients seen from UF’s medical facilities in Gainesville and Jacksonville, not just those seen at the SHCC.
In that four-year span, over 700 patients underwent hormone replacement therapy, 90 received prescriptions for puberty blockers and 41 underwent gender-affirming surgery.
Over 12 million total patients were seen over the same time period.
The state of Florida banned gender-affirming care for minors in 2023, a decision that affected transgender adults as well. The same bill banned transgender adults from receiving gender-affirming care from nurses or nurse practitioners. Instead, they would need to seek out a physician.
The ban was ruled unconstitutional in June 2024 by a U.S. district judge. However, a federal appeals court panel issued a stay in August 2024, putting the initial ban back into effect.
Contact Leona Masangkay at lmasangkay@alligator.org. Follow them on X @leo_amasangkay.
Leona is a second-year journalism student and the Fall 2025 Santa Fe College reporter. They previously worked on the audience and growth team over the summer as a social media strategist. In their free time, Leona enjoys going to the gym, listening to music and watching Marvel movies.
