Attorney General James Uthmeier has filed a lawsuit against three major medical organizations alleging they “misled” the public and medical community regarding the reversibility and efficacy of gender-affirming care treatments.
Here’s five things to know about the lawsuit:
1. The lawsuit alleges that the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Endocrine Society have been “deceiving” the public with “phony guidelines” in order to sell medications and treatments for gender dysphoria. The government alleges that the groups’ practices violate the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act and “constitute[s] a pattern of racketeering activity under the Florida Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act.”
2. In a video posted to social media platform X Dec. 9, Mr. Uthmeier said “we believe these organizations failed to disclose the risks, limits, and evidence when promoting so-called gender-affirming care for children. For years, these groups insisted the recommendations were settled science, but behind closed doors, they knew the evidence was weak. They knew the outcomes uncertain and the risks very real.
“Parents were not told the full story,” Mr. Uthmeier continued. “In fact, some parents were told that if they didn’t put their kids through permanent, life-altering, sick procedures … that their child would commit suicide. Not only is that unethical and dangerous medicine, but it is against the law.”
3. The complaint cites the 2024 Cass Review, a report published by the United Kingdom’s National Health Service that “found no evidence that puberty blockers improve body image or dysphoria.”
4. However, according to a Dec. 11 article published by Medpage Today, at the time of the publication of the Cass Review, experts in the U.S. told Medpage that it should be taken in “totality” and that treatments should be available while the evidence base is expanded.
5. “As a professional organization for clinicians and experts, WPATH is committed to advancing cautious, evidence-informed guidelines for care to help improve the lives of transgender people globally so they may live full and authentic lives,” the organization told Becker’s in an emailed statement. “WPATH believes strongly in the value of scientific and academic research as well as discussion among peers to help improve the Standards of Care and outcomes for transgender and gender-diverse people. Transgender people – and all people – deserve the freedom to make their own personal, private healthcare decisions in consultation with their families and medical providers, free from political interference and retaliation.”
AAP declined to comment and the Endocrine Society did not immediately respond to Medpage‘s request for comment. Becker’s has reached out to all three organizations and will update this article if more information becomes available.
