The "trans mice thing" refers to a political and scientific controversy sparked by conservative lawmakers and the Trump administration, who claimed that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) spent millions of taxpayer dollars "making mice transgender". [1, 2]
In reality, the government was not attempting to transition animals. Rather, the NIH funded standard preclinical research to see how gender-affirming hormone therapies impact human health. [1, 2] What the Science Actually Is
The studies in question used mice and rats to model how humans respond to cross-sex hormones. Key research areas included: [1, 2]
HIV Vaccines: Testing how hormone therapies impact the immune system's response to HIV vaccines, as transgender women are disproportionately affected by the virus. [1, 2]
Cancer and Other Risks: Studying how testosterone or estrogen therapies affect breast cancer risk, cardiovascular health, asthma, and the gut microbiome. [1, 2, 3]
Fertility: Looking at the reproductive effects of hormone therapies. [1, 2]
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.