21 states accuse pediatrics group of possible consumer violations over gender care

 Officials from 21 states, led by Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador, have accused the American Academy of Pediatrics of potentially failing to adhere to consumer protections with respect to gender care policies.

In a letter sent Sept. 24, attorneys general and lawmakers in various states requested that the pediatrics academy provide information detailing evidence for its standards on gender dysphoria care for minors. 

Mr. Labrador said in a news release that he and others are specifically seeking information about the AAP's evidence for its "recommendations for puberty blockers for gender dysphoria-diagnosed youth despite widespread retractions of the practice." 

He also expressed concerns about the pediatrics organization's "claims that the use of puberty blockers on children is safe and reversible. This assertion is not grounded in evidence and therefore may run afoul of consumer protection laws in most states."

"For the most part, [the AAP] has not allowed nonmedical considerations to infiltrate its guidance to physicians and parents," the letter from the attorneys general said. "But when it comes to treating children diagnosed with gender dysphoria, the AAP has abandoned its commitment to sound medical judgment." 

The AAP, which has 67,000 pediatrician members, could not immediately be reached for comment by the Idaho Capital Sun. Becker's has also reached out to the AAP and will update this story if a comment is received.

The pediatrics organization reaffirmed its 2018 policy statement on gender-affirming care in August 2023 while also saying it would conduct a systematic review of evidence.

In a news release in August 2023, the AAP wrote that the decision to authorize the review "reflects the board's concerns about restrictions to access to healthcare with bans on gender-affirming care in more than 20 states."

The AAP's 2018 policy statement recommends a gender-affirming, nonjudgmental approach and providing youths with access to comprehensive gender-affirming and developmentally appropriate healthcare. The AAP's full policy statement is available here. 

Joining Idaho in its letter to the AAP are the attorneys general from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia and West Virginia, and the Arizona Legislature.

https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/legal-regulatory-issues/21-states-accuse-pediatrics-group-of-possible-consumer-violations-over-gender-care.html