FTC launches unprecedented probe into “gender-affirming care” for minors amid growing concerns over irreversible medical procedures being performed on America’s youth under false pretenses.
Key Takeaways
- The Federal Trade Commission has announced a workshop titled “The Dangers of ‘Gender-Affirming Care’ for Minors” scheduled for July 9, 2025, in Washington, DC
- The workshop follows President Trump’s executive order ending federal support for transgender medical interventions for minors
- Participants will include doctors, medical ethicists, whistleblowers, detransitioners, and parents of detransitioners
- The FTC will examine whether medical providers have omitted warnings or made false claims about gender-affirming procedures
- The investigation falls under the FTC’s authority to protect consumers from unfair or deceptive trade practices
FTC Investigates Deceptive Practices in Trans Youth Medical Care
In a significant shift in federal oversight, the Federal Trade Commission has announced a workshop examining potential unfair or deceptive trade practices in what has been termed “gender-affirming care” for minors. The workshop, explicitly titled “The Dangers of ‘Gender-Affirming Care’ for Minors,” is scheduled for July 9, 2025, in Washington, DC. This investigative workshop represents one of the first major federal actions implementing President Trump’s executive order that terminated federal support for transgender medical interventions for minors across all government agencies and departments.
The FTC’s focus on this controversial medical area stems from concerns that healthcare providers may be misleading families and children about the permanence and consequences of these procedures. The Commission plans to assess whether consumers have been exposed to false claims and to understand the full scope of potential harms resulting from these medical interventions. The investigation falls squarely within the FTC’s authority under Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act to protect consumers from unfair or deceptive practices in commerce.
Expert Testimony from Those Directly Affected
What distinguishes this workshop from previous discussions on transgender care is the diversity of voices being included. The FTC has announced that participants will include doctors, medical ethicists, and notably, whistleblowers from gender clinics who have raised concerns about rushed treatments. Perhaps most significantly, the workshop will feature testimony from detransitioners – individuals who underwent gender transition procedures and later reversed course – as well as parents of detransitioners who experienced adverse outcomes from these medical interventions.
The inclusion of detransitioners represents a marked shift in how federal agencies approach this controversial medical field. These individuals, who previously received little attention in policy discussions, will now have a platform to share their experiences with treatments they later came to regret. Their testimonies may prove crucial in determining whether medical providers have been forthcoming about risks, side effects, and the experimental nature of some treatments being offered to minors.
Executive Order Sets New Federal Direction
The workshop comes in the wake of President Trump’s executive order that claimed medical professionals were “harming children with irreversible interventions under false pretenses.” This language from the executive order appears to have directly influenced the FTC’s approach, with the agency now examining whether providers have omitted warnings or made false claims about procedures marketed as “gender-affirming care.” The Commission’s authority to investigate potentially deceptive commercial practices makes it well-positioned to examine marketing claims surrounding these controversial medical interventions.
The order represents a complete reversal from previous federal guidance that encouraged access to these procedures for minors. By focusing on potential consumer protection violations, the FTC has found a regulatory framework to examine practices that many conservative medical professionals have long criticized as experimental and potentially harmful when performed on children and adolescents. The investigation could potentially lead to enforcement actions against providers found to have misrepresented the risks or benefits of these procedures.
Public Accessibility and Next Steps
While in-person attendance at the workshop will be by invitation only, the FTC has announced plans to stream the proceedings online for broader accessibility. This approach will allow medical professionals, parents, lawmakers, and other interested parties nationwide to observe the testimony and discussions. The public and press can express interest in attending the workshop via email, though capacity will be limited for the in-person event.
Following the workshop, the FTC could potentially take regulatory action if evidence of deceptive practices is uncovered. Under its consumer protection mandate, the Commission has significant authority to address false or misleading claims in medical marketing. Joe Simonson from the FTC’s Office of Public Affairs has been designated as the media contact for the event, suggesting the agency anticipates significant public and media interest in these proceedings that could fundamentally reshape how transgender medical interventions for minors are regulated in the United States.
