HHS Applauds FTC Action to Protect Children from Deceptive WPATH Guidelines

WASHINGTON-JUNE 17, 2026-The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today commended the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) decision to pursue legal action against the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) over alleged deceptive trade practices.

"I commend Chairman Ferguson and the FTC for taking decisive action against WPATH," said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. "Medical organizations must follow the science, disclose conflicts, and put patients first. Children deserve the highest standard of care, parents deserve honest information, and the American people deserve accountability."

The FTC's action comes after growing scrutiny of the evidence base, guideline-development process, and conflict-of-interest practices surrounding influential organizations promoting sex-rejecting procedures. HHS's Treatment for Pediatric Gender Dysphoria: Review of Evidence and Best Practices, released in November 2025, documented significant concerns regarding the development of WPATH's Standards of Care Version 8 (SOC-8) clinical guidelines that have shaped so-called "pediatric gender medicine" in the United States and internationally.

"When medical organizations prioritize advocacy over scientific rigor, they deserve to be held accountable," said Assistant Secretary for Health Admiral Brian Christine, M.D. "HHS review identified significant weaknesses in the evidence base and guideline-development process surrounding 'pediatric gender medicine' promoted by WPATH. We welcome FTC efforts to examine those findings and take action as appropriate to protect patients and strengthen trust in medical recommendations."

The HHS report found that many international guidelines relied heavily on recommendations developed by WPATH and the Endocrine Society despite concerns regarding methodological rigor, conflicts of interest, and what the report described as a pattern of "circular referencing and mutual endorsement" among guideline-producing organizations.

The HHS report also highlighted concerns regarding WPATH's SOC-8, finding that the organization's guideline-development process suppressed systematic reviews of evidence, permitted substantial financial and intellectual conflicts of interest, and relied on legal and political considerations rather than scientific ones.

HHS remains committed to promoting evidence-based medicine, transparency in clinical practice guideline development, and the highest standards of scientific integrity across America's healthcare system.