Federal Trade Commission and four US states sue trans healthcare group
The Federal Trade Commission Building (Getty Images)
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and four US states have sued the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) over “deceptive” claims about gender affirming care for minors.
The FTC, along with Alaska, Iowa, Nebraska and Texas, filed the lawsuit in the latest move by the Trump administration to limit access to gender-affirming care. The suit alleges that not only were deceptive claims made by WPATH, but that the association profited from those claims.
An FTC spokesperson said in a post on X: “Parents have a right to make informed decisions about their children’s health. The FTC will not allow parents and children to be deceived by medical organisations and providers who are prioritising profit over children’s health and safety.”
The lawsuit follows the FTC’s investigation into WPATH, which was not completed as a federal judge ruled in May to temporarily block it. The association sued to block the probe, claiming that the FTC was violating First Amendment rights.
This isn’t the only investigation that the FTC has launched. It also started probes into the Endocrine Society and the American Academy of Pediatrics over the guidelines they set for gender affirming care. Both of these groups also sued to block the investigations.
WPATH has been providing medical standards for gender-affirming care, which are widely accepted, for over 50 years. According to the association, their standards are based on “established scientific standards, expert consensus, and patient-centered values.”
Addressing the lawsuit in a statement, WPATH said: “WPATH is in a strong position to prove that the FTC is acting out of pure retaliation as part of the federal government’s relentless and targeted campaign to undermine gender-affirming care by attacking the First Amendment rights and the independence of professional medical organisations.
“We expect the same result when we oppose this latest attack on WPATH and its mission to promote evidence-informed care and guidance for doctors and their patients.”
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