A federal judge in Oregon ruled that U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. overstepped his legal authority when issuing a declaration in December stating that providers of gender-transition medical treatments for minors fail to meet “professionally recognized standards of health care.” Judge Mustafa Kasubhai determined that RFK Jr. did not follow proper administrative procedures when issuing the declaration, which warned doctors they could face exclusion from federal health programs including Medicare and Medicaid if providing these treatments. The judge’s ruling granted preliminary relief to health professionals providing gender-transition care and denied the government’s motion to dismiss the case.
Legal Challenge and State Response
Twenty-one states, all led by Democrats, filed a lawsuit in December challenging Kennedy’s declaration, arguing that the statement interfered with states’ power to regulate medical practice within their borders. New York Attorney General Letitia James, who led the lawsuit, stated in response to Thursday’s ruling that “today’s win breaks through the noise and gives some needed clarity to patients, families, and providers” and emphasized that “health care services for transgender young people remain legal, and the federal government cannot intimidate or punish the providers who offer them.”
Medical Community Opposition
The HHS declaration was based on a peer-reviewed report conducted by the department that urged greater reliance on behavioral therapy rather than broad gender-affirming care for youths with gender dysphoria. However, major medical groups and providers of transgender youth care sharply criticized the report as inaccurate. Most major U.S. medical organizations, including the American Medical Association, continue to oppose restrictions on transgender care and services for young people. The ruling represents the second major legal setback for Kennedy and HHS within the week. Another federal judge in Boston on Monday temporarily blocked several of Kennedy’s vaccine policy changes, ruling that Kennedy likely violated federal procedures in revamping a key vaccine advisory committee and reducing the childhood vaccine schedule without the committee’s input.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.fox13news.com/news/rfk-jr-overstepped-legal-authority-transgender-care-minors-judge-rules