The Federal Trade Commission and four Republican-led states have filed a lawsuit accusing the World Professional Association for Transgender Health of misleading parents and doctors about the safety and effectiveness of medical treatments for transgender minors.

The complaint contends the organization, known as WPATH, provided deceptive information regarding puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgical procedures used in gender-affirming care for youth.

It further alleges that the group failed to fully disclose the potential risks and side effects associated with these treatments.

According to the FTC, WPATH’s standards of care—widely referenced by clinicians treating patients with gender dysphoria—no longer include specific age-based guidance for procedures involving minors.

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Regulators also assert that the organization endorsed interventions not sufficiently backed by evidence to support their safety or medical necessity.

FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson underscored the agency’s intentions in a social media post, writing that “parents have a right to make informed decisions about their children’s health” and warning that the commission would not allow medical organizations to “prioritize profit over children’s health and safety.”

The lawsuit was filed in coordination with the attorneys general of Alaska, Iowa, Nebraska, and Texas. It represents one of the Trump administration’s latest efforts to intensify scrutiny of medical practices involving gender transitions for minors.

WPATH has rejected all allegations, defending its standards as frameworks meant to support personalized healthcare approaches.

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The group told the Associated Press that its guidelines are focused on meeting individual patient needs rather than applying uniform standards.

In an additional statement, WPATH said it is “in a strong position to prove that the FTC is acting out of pure retaliation” and accused the federal government of seeking to undermine gender-affirming care by interfering with professional medical organizations’ independence.

Earlier, WPATH had sued to stop a previous FTC investigation, arguing that the probe violated its First Amendment rights. A federal judge issued a temporary halt to that inquiry in May.

The ongoing legal conflict has intensified debate over the use of puberty blockers and hormone therapies for minors experiencing gender dysphoria.

These treatments have become central to a broader national discussion over children’s consent, long-term safety, and the proper role of government regulation in healthcare.

Supporters of gender-affirming care insist that such treatments can be medically necessary for some young people, while critics maintain that the long-term risks are not yet fully known.

Many continue to argue that minors may be unable to provide truly informed consent for such interventions.

Dr. Kurt Miceli, Chief Medical Officer of the advocacy group Do No Harm, has separately called for an FTC probe into what he describes as contradictory messaging by the American Psychological Association about gender-affirming care for children.

His organization claims that professional bodies have not been consistent in their guidance to parents and healthcare providers.

The lawsuit against WPATH highlights increasing political and legal tensions surrounding the medical management of gender dysphoria in minors.

It underscores how federal agencies, state governments, and medical authorities remain deeply divided over standards of care, responsibility, and transparency in the field.

As the case moves forward, WPATH maintains that its practices align with professional medical discretion, while the FTC and participating states argue that parents were deprived of reliable information necessary for making critical healthcare decisions.