Washington D.C. – The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), under the leadership of Chairman Andrew Ferguson, has initiated a significant enforcement action against the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH). The lawsuit, filed recently in a U.S. District Court and joined by the states of Alaska, Iowa, Nebraska, and Texas, alleges that WPATH made "false and unsubstantiated claims" regarding the safety and efficacy of gender transition procedures for minors.
Senator JD Vance lauded the FTC's move, stating in a tweet, "Doctors and hospitals used junk science from WPATH to justify selling gender transition procedures to kids and their parents. Huge props to Andrew and his team for taking an important step in our efforts to end this outrageous practice." This action aligns with the Trump administration's directive to federal agencies to curb medical transition for minors.
The FTC's complaint centers on allegations that WPATH, whose "Standards of Care" (SOC-8) guide gender-affirming treatments, misrepresented key aspects of care for minors. Specifically, the lawsuit claims WPATH made deceptive assertions about the reversibility of puberty blockers and failed to transparently disclose significant risks associated with medical transition procedures for children. Internal WPATH communications, reportedly obtained through court discovery in a separate lawsuit, indicate the organization suppressed unfavorable evidence from commissioned systematic reviews that did not support its preferred approach, with leaders privately acknowledging they were "caught on the wrong foot."
Further scrutiny has been directed at WPATH's SOC-8, which initially included minimum age limits for hormonal and surgical interventions but removed them shortly after publication, reportedly due to external pressure. Additionally, allegations suggest that most SOC-8 authors had unmanaged conflicts of interest, and a WPATH physician was quoted remarking, "we're all just winging it" in conference videos.
WPATH, in response, has denied the allegations, asserting that its guidelines are based on "established scientific standards, expert consensus and patient-centered values" and are designed to promote the highest level of care through open dialogue. The organization has accused the Trump administration of abusing its authority and acting out of retaliation to undermine gender-affirming care. If successful, the FTC's lawsuit could prevent WPATH from promoting its guidelines and potentially trigger broader legal and financial repercussions for other medical groups that have adopted WPATH's standards.
