The American Academy of Pediatrics filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against the Trump administration, claiming a Federal Trade Commission investigation into its gender treatment guidelines violates the First and Fourth Amendments.

Investigation Targets Medical Organization Guidelines

The FTC launched its probe in January to examine whether the AAP and the World Professional Association of Transgender Health made unsubstantiated claims or engaged in unfair practices regarding treatment guidance for minors with gender dysphoria. The investigation requests documents, including all communications between professional medical organizations related to WPATH’s Standards of Care Version 8 guidance, which has faced scrutiny for recommending medical interventions for children.

Pressure to Remove Age Restrictions Revealed

Court records unsealed in 2024 showed AAP officials pressured WPATH to eliminate age minimums for sex-change surgeries from its guidance before publication. Additional documents revealed that Biden administration officials also pushed WPATH to remove age restrictions to align with their legislative priorities. WPATH suppressed evidence reviews that contradicted their recommendations, according to court filings. The AAP maintains these procedures remain extremely rare and should only occur when developmentally appropriate.

Medical Community Shifts Stance on Youth Surgeries

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons released a position statement February 3 recommending that gender-related surgeries be delayed until patients reach at least 19 years of age. The American Medical Association similarly agreed that such procedures should be deferred to adulthood. Despite these recommendations from major medical organizations, the AAP has not revised its position on treatment protocols for minors with gender dysphoria.

Trump Administration Policy Changes

President Donald Trump signed executive orders during his first month in office defining sex as either male or female and restricting federal funding from promoting child sex changes. The Department of Health and Human Services announced proposed rules in December that would prohibit Medicaid dollars from funding sex-change procedures for minors and restrict participating hospitals from performing such procedures on children. The AAP argues in its complaint that the government is using investigation threats to silence speech it opposes, calling the FTC subpoena overly broad and retaliatory.