However, UW's characterization of the findings was called into question by
independent journalist Jesse Singal, who began emailing questions to researchers in an attempt to gain access to the data used to draw their conclusions.
Researchers did not provide the data to Singal, who later published a lengthy Substack article attempting to poke significant holes in the study's conclusions.
"What’s surprising, in light of all these quotes, is that the kids who took puberty blockers or hormones experienced no statistically significant mental health improvement during the study," Singal wrote in the article. "The claim that they did improve, which was presented to the public in the study itself, in publicity materials, and on social media (repeatedly) by one of the authors, is false."
Singal also raised questions about the statistical approach, which could not be verified without access to the data the researchers used to draw their conclusions. He argued that the inability to verify the data called the "validity of this research" into question.
Fox News has also requested the data used for the study from the university but has not received a response.
Emails between
the university and children's hospital staff show that they quickly realized that Singal's article presented them with significant problems, but they remained unsure on how to push back.