Federal Trade Commission sues leading transgender health group

Source: The Guardian/AP

Wed 17 Jun 2026 16.36 EDT
Last modified on Wed 17 Jun 2026 17.10 EDT


The Federal Trade Commission and four states sued the World Professional Association for Transgender Health on Wednesday, in the latest push by Donald Trump’s administration and others to limit gender-affirming care for transgender minors. The suit alleges the group, known widely as WPath, made deceptive claims about gender-affirming care for minors and that its members profited off the claims. Alaska, Iowa, Nebraska and Texas filed along with the FTC.

“Parents have a right to make informed decisions about their children’s health,” the FTC chair, Andrew Ferguson, said on X. “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 a statement, WPath said that its guidelines call for care that is tailored to individual patients, rather than a “one size fits all” approach.

The suit comes following an investigation by the agency into WPath. The group sued to block the investigation, alleging the agency was violating its first amendment rights. A federal judge in May ruled in favor of WPath to temporarily block the investigation from continuing.

The FTC also launched investigations into the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Endocrine Society over their guidelines on gender-affirming care. Both of those groups also sued.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/17/ftc-transgender-health-lawsuit