The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced Monday that it has launched an inquiry into whether health providers are failing to disclose risks associated with gender-affirming care or making false claims about its benefits. The agency is seeking public comment through September 26 from individuals who may have encountered unsupported or misleading information about gender-affirming care, particularly as it relates to minors.
This inquiry follows a public workshop held by the FTC in early July, which aimed to assess potential harms consumers may face regarding gender-affirming care for minors and featured critics of youth gender-affirming treatments. The FTC is evaluating whether medical providers have violated the FTC Act by not fully disclosing risks or by promoting unsubstantiated claims about the effectiveness of such care. Despite this scrutiny, gender-affirming care for minors is supported by major medical organizations, and research indicates most individuals who receive these treatments during adolescence are satisfied with their decisions as adults. The move also reflects broader federal actions during the Trump administration, which targeted gender-affirming care providers with threats of funding cuts and legal measures. Several major hospitals have paused or stopped gender-affirming services amid these federal probes, while some legal experts warn that state authorities might use similar federal unfair competition laws to pursue enforcement at the state level.