Lawsuit Accuses WPATH of Pushing Irreversible Harm on Children With Baseless Claims – While Profiting

The Federal Trade Commission, alongside the states of Alaska, Iowa, Nebraska, and Texas, filed a lawsuit against the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) for allegedly making false and unsubstantiated claims that are repeated by medical providers to sell pediatric medical services. The 123-page complaint accuses the nonprofit of systemic deception against parents, patients, and providers about the safety, efficacy, and evidence for “gender affirming care,” including puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries for children. The plaintiffs allege that WPATH is prioritizing financial gain for its members and political agendas over child safety.

The lawsuit says, “WPATH’s professional members have profited immensely from the organization’s work. But this profit has come at the expense of children and their parents.” The complaint describes WPATH as an organization that was founded and shaped by transition doctors who were struggling to make money. The guidelines issued by the organization and repeated by medical professionals nationwide were allegedly intentionally designed to secure insurance coverage and expand the market for these high-dollar procedures.

“WPATH knows that its recommendations are not supported by scientific evidence or a medical consensus,” the lawsuit alleges. They “developed SOC-8 without regard for scientific protocols… disregarded established guideline-development standards, ignored the results of its own evidence reviews.” The lawsuit further alleges that one WPATH leader admitted to “struggl[ing] to find any sound evidence-based argument(s) underpinning” the removal of age limitations.

The removal of age limitations was suggested by HHS Assistant Secretary (at the time) Rachel Levine, a male-to-female transgender individual, and the American Academy of Pediatrics. The HighWire reported about this revelation nearly two years ago, as well as internal concerns from WPATH regarding “sloppy” assessments and “opportunism by inexperienced and sometimes dangerous providers.”

WPATH moved forward with the removal of age minimums under pressure from AAP and Assistant Secretary Levine, despite lacking “sound evidence-based arguments,” according to the president at the time, Dr. Walter Pierre Bouman.

The lawsuit alleges WPATH moved forward with scientific claims that weren’t backed by scientific evidence, such as puberty blockers being fully reversible, cross-sex hormones improving mental health, and breast amputations as safe procedures that improve quality of life. The complaint shows a contradiction in WPATH’s position: on the one hand, it acknowledges gaps in research and very low-quality evidence, while on the other hand, it promotes the medical interventions as “lifesaving.”

The plaintiff lawyers mention the pressured question clinicians have posed to parents, asking, “Would you rather have a live daughter or a dead son? “These statements echo WPATH’s messaging, rely on WPATH’s false and unsubstantiated assertions, and induce the purchase of pediatric transition services from WPATH members,” the lawsuit alleges.

Luka Hein, who told her story to The HighWire Host Del Bigtree in 2023, was mentioned in the lawsuit as a victim of the WPATH recommendations. Specifically, the lawsuit says Luka was dealing with victimization, serious mental health issues, and her parents’ divorce when health professionals misattributed her source of distress to her sex traits.

Luka’s mental health counselor, who recommended the double mastectomy, and her physician, who prescribed testosterone, were publicly identified as WPATH members. Luka’s path was directed by WPATH guidelines, and her parents were also asked the question about whether they would rather have a living son or a dead daughter.

The lawsuit references Luka’s case as one victim in Nebraska despite the state’s enactment of the “Let Them Grow Act,” which was passed to protect children under 19 from pediatric gender treatments. The lawsuit explains that children who were receiving the now-prohibited treatment prior to October 1, 2023, are “grandfathered in.”

Luka currently has a pending lawsuit against her medical providers. In February, the first medical malpractice lawsuit against a detransitioner was resolved, and the plaintiff was awarded $2 million in damages. There are at least 28 ongoing medical malpractice lawsuits in various stages around the United States.

“Parents have a right to make informed decisions about their children’s health,” wrote FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson. “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. While we can never undo the many harms caused by WPATH’s deception, we can prevent WPATH from making false and unsubstantiated medical claims in the future, and that’s what we intend to do.”

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton also issued a statement, as he is a co-plaintiff on the lawsuit against WPATH. “Any group that illegally promotes irreversible, life-altering ‘transitioning’ procedures to kids as safe and necessary will face the full force of the law for harming children,” said AG Paxton. “We will not allow WPATH or any other organization to illegally promote or perform dangerous ‘transitioning’ procedures on our kids that leave them with permanent trauma and lifelong health consequences.”