FTC Investigates Medical Organizations Over Minor Gender Transition Support
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has begun formal investigations into the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH). This move follows the ongoing support these organizations have provided for gender transition procedures aimed at minors.
A pro-detransitioner group, Genspect, expressed approval of this investigation, stating that both the AAP and WPATH have been involved in a significant medical scandal by endorsing irreversible procedures for children without sufficient evidence. They see the FTC’s actions as a necessary measure for accountability.
The FTC started looking into this issue more seriously last summer, shortly after Andrew N. Ferguson was appointed as FTC Commissioner on April 2, 2025.
On July 9, the FTC hosted a workshop called “The Dangers of ‘Gender-Affirming Care’ for Minors,” which focused on potentially unfair or deceptive trade practices.
Then, on July 28, the FTC issued a public request for information to assess whether consumers, particularly minors, have suffered harm. It sought to determine if medical professionals had violated the FTC Act by not disclosing critical risks associated with such care or misleadingly asserting its benefits.
By January 15, 2026, the inquiry progressed to requiring documentation from the AAP and WPATH regarding their claims about gender transition procedures for minors, as reported by Bloomberg.
Both organizations have put out clinical guidelines on gender-transition methods for minors. WPATH notably altered its guidance following external pressure from the Biden administration’s Department of Health and Human Services.
Bloomberg’s coverage didn’t clarify if any other medical organizations received similar demands. As of the time of reporting, the FTC hadn’t commented on this issue.
However, a recent letter suggests that the FTC’s investigation may encompass other organizations. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), along with a few other medical societies, has been involved in an urgent process initiated by a federal agency that is seeking clarification on their positions regarding this topic.
Michael Costelloe, executive vice president of ASPS, informed his organization’s Gender Surgery Task Force about this situation. That comment was referenced in a letter signed by several task force members to the ASPS Board, with Dr. Scott Leibowitz, a prominent WPATH member, among the signatories.
This open letter, led by Dr. Jens Berli, addressed a statement released by the plastic surgeons’ board recommending that gender-related surgeries be postponed until patients reach at least 19 years old.
The ASPS made this recommendation shortly after a New York jury awarded $2 million in a malpractice case to a detransitioner who was prematurely subjected to a double mastectomy at 16.
The open letter did not contest the ASPS’s recommendation but raised concerns about how it came to be. Task Force members were caught off guard that the ASPS position statement was created outside their group. The signatories expressed uncertainty about who authored the statement and the methods used.
After the publication of this letter, Dr. Steven Montante, one of the signers, attempted to withdraw his endorsement. He was uncomfortable being associated with those supporting surgeries for minors, advocating instead for a minimum age of 25 for such operations.
According to reports, one author of the ASPS Board’s position is identified as Dr. Scot Glasberg, a past president of ASPS.
Glasberg remarked that these discussions are quite complex due to the range of opinions involved, making consensus difficult to achieve.
He also noted that only the ASPS Board has the authority to issue official position statements, though their latest statement suggests a willingness to modify their stance based on evolving evidence.
The ASPS Board has stated that they are addressing misunderstandings that arose from the open letter.
This situation sheds light on the factors influencing the ASPS’s position against surgeries for minors and the timing of their decision. There is growing scientific evidence against such procedures, alongside financial motivations following the detransitioner verdict, and governmental scrutiny from the FTC, which raises potential legal risks for organizations backing these procedures.
In the course of its investigation into the AAP and WPATH, the FTC strengthened its team by hiring Glenna Goldis, an attorney who had previously been terminated for her concerns regarding consumer protection in gender transition procedures.
Goldis will lead inquiries into possible harms from “gender-affirming care,” according to reports.
Meanwhile, both the AAP and WPATH are pushing back against the request for documents in the investigation. WPATH filed a motion to quash the FTC’s demand, arguing that the FTC lacks the authority to investigate nonprofits. Similarly, the AAP submitted a motion asserting that the demand exceeds the FTC’s scope and violates the First Amendment.
The outcome of this legal dispute hinges on whether the FTC can enforce actions against nonprofit organizations as it does with businesses.
This investigation represents a stark contrast to the Biden administration’s approach, which had privately engaged with WPATH to adjust its guidelines, while the Trump administration is scrutinizing those same guidelines.
Note: The American Academy of Pediatrics has filed a lawsuit against the FTC regarding its investigation into the organization’s support for “gender-affirming care” for transgender youth.
