FTC and states AGs sue WPATH over alleged misleading care

The Federal Trade Commission and four state attorneys general filed a lawsuit on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, against the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, alleging the organization misled consumers to promote gender-affirming medical treatments for minors. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, accuses WPATH of crafting deceptive clinical guidelines to boost insurance coverage and increase demand for procedures.

The FTC and the attorneys general of Texas, Iowa, Alaska, and Nebraska allege WPATH’s Standards of Care document provides clinicians with a means to make false and unsubstantiated claims to patients and parents. The suit claims the organization misrepresented the risks and benefits of treatments like puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries, falsely presenting them as “lifesaving” and based on strong scientific evidence while allegedly hiding potential side effects. The complaint states WPATH has an economic interest in expanding pediatric medical transitions.

In a statement, WPATH forcefully rejected the allegations and the FTC’s jurisdiction. The group said the commission is not a medical provider...