The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is reportedly weighing legal action against medical professionals who have promoted gender transition treatments for minors, according to a memo obtained by The Daily Wire.
The move aligns with the Trump administration’s aggressive stance on restricting gender-affirming care for children—a key promise during the 2024 campaign. If carried out, it would mark a significant escalation in federal involvement in the debate over transgender healthcare.
Critics of gender-affirming treatments say the FTC may have grounds to pursue medical providers under claims of consumer deception or misrepresentation.
“Every available and legal means to protect children from harmful transgender procedures should be taken,” said Dr. Stanley Goldfarb, chair of the advocacy group Do No Harm. “We applaud the FTC and the Trump Administration for this important step.”
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) praised the move, calling the treatments “barbaric gender procedures” and demanding that “everyone involved… face massive liability.”
On the other side, major medical organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association continue to support gender-affirming care as evidence-based and potentially life-saving, especially for youth experiencing severe gender dysphoria.
The FTC investigation, if formalized, would add legal scrutiny to what has already become one of the most polarizing issues in American healthcare and politics. Supporters of the administration say the action will help stop the spread of “radical gender ideology,” while critics warn it could criminalize medical consensus and strip families of essential health decisions.
The FTC has not issued a formal statement.
