FTC and States Sue WPATH Over Claims About Gender-Affirming Care

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and four U.S. states have issued a legal challenge against the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH). This action comes amidst efforts from President Donald Trump’s administration and others aimed at restricting gender-affirming care for transgender minors.

The lawsuit accuses WPATH of providing misleading information about gender-affirming care for minors, alleging financial motivations behind these claims. The states involved in the lawsuit alongside the FTC are Alaska, Iowa, Nebraska, and Texas.

FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson stated 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 organizations and providers who are prioritizing profit over children’s health and safety.”

In response, WPATH emphasized that its guidelines are based on individualized care rather than a universal approach. The lawsuit follows an FTC investigation into WPATH, which the organization attempted to block, claiming the investigation violated its First Amendment rights. In May, a federal judge temporarily blocked the FTC’s investigation.

Additionally, the FTC has launched investigations into the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Endocrine Society for their guidelines on gender-affirming care. Both of these organizations have also pursued legal action in response.

WPATH, which has been establishing medical standards for gender-affirming care over the past 50 years, maintains that its practices are rooted in well-established scientific standards, expert consensus, and patient-centered values. A previous ruling against the FTC has reinforced WPATH’s position.

The group released a statement asserting, “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 organizations. 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.”

Correction: The original story erroneously described the American Academy of Pediatrics as the American Association of Pediatrics.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department, supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, remains solely responsible for its content.