Florida Sues Leading Medical Groups Over Gender-Affirming Care for Minors
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida has launched a high-profile lawsuit against three prominent medical organizations, accusing them of promoting misleading information about gender-affirming care for minors to increase demand for their members’ services. On December 9, 2025, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced the suit targeting the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), and the Endocrine Society.
The lawsuit claims these groups have knowingly downplayed the risks and uncertainties surrounding gender-affirming treatments for children, while marketing clinical guidelines that serve to boost membership sales and the provision of medical interventions. “We believe these organizations fail to disclose the risks, limits and evidence when promoting so-called gender-affirming care for children,” Uthmeier said in a video statement. “For years, these groups have 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.”
Gender-affirming care involves a spectrum of treatments aimed at addressing gender dysphoria, including psychological support, hormone therapies, and in rare cases, surgeries for minors. It is endorsed as a valid medical approach by every major pediatric and endocrinology association, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Endocrine Society. A 2024 study affiliated with Harvard University found that cisgender individuals were more likely to undergo analogous surgeries than transgender minors, underscoring the rarity of such interventions in youth.
Despite this consensus, gender-affirming care has become a flashpoint in the culture wars, with conservative-led states like Florida seeking to restrict access. In 2023, Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation banning gender-affirming care for minors, a move that was struck down by a federal judge the following year but later reinstated pending appeals. The ongoing legal battles reflect a broader national debate, with 26 states and one U.S. territory imposing bans or restrictions on transgender youth healthcare, according to data from the UCLA School of Law’s Williams Institute.
Florida’s lawsuit alleges that the defendants have engaged in a coordinated campaign to develop and disseminate clinical guidelines that encourage pediatric sex interventions, which the state describes as “mutilating kids and misleading families.” The suit asserts that these organizations exploit the mental distress of children and the concerns of their parents to promote lucrative surgeries and drug treatments that cause irreversible bodily changes without credible medical benefit.
The complaint seeks injunctive relief and financial penalties against the three groups. Representatives from WPATH, AAP, and the Endocrine Society have yet to publicly respond to the lawsuit. However, these organizations have previously spoken out against legislation restricting transgender healthcare. In March 2023, WPATH President Marci Bowers criticized such laws as attempts to enforce a rigid gender binary and eliminate transgender identities, emphasizing that the legislation is not about protecting children but about erasing transgender people.
Critics of Florida’s approach argue that the lawsuit and legislative bans are rooted in misinformation and fearmongering that harm transgender and gender-diverse youth. Supporters contend that they aim to protect children from what they describe as experimental medical procedures. The debate continues amid growing attention to the rights of LGBTQ Americans and the role of medical professionals in providing evidence-based care.
As litigation proceeds, the impact on thousands of transgender youth in Florida remains uncertain. The Williams Institute estimates approximately 42,800 transgender individuals aged 13 to 17 live in the state, representing about 3.2% of the youth population. Meanwhile, the national conversation around gender-affirming care remains deeply polarized, with legal, medical, and ethical questions at the forefront.
For more information on the ongoing legal challenges and policies related to transgender healthcare, visit the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the American Civil Liberties Union websites.
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