A federal appeals court gave significant support to the administration of Donald Trump by allowing the Department of Justice (DOJ) to proceed with an investigation into doctors and clinics providing gender transition medications and procedures to minors.
The decision was issued on Friday by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which, by a vote of 2-1, overturned a lower court ruling that had blocked a subpoena directed at ''QueerDoc'', a telemedicine clinic based in Washington. The case will now return to a lower court for further review.
The ruling represents a step forward for Trump’s agenda, who since his return to the White House has made the protection of minors from certain gender interventions one of the priorities of his administration. The DOJ had previously issued more than 20 subpoenas to doctors and clinics as part of an investigation related to potential healthcare fraud, false statements, and other possible violations.
Trump's Justice Department can investigate gender transition treatments for minors after a key court ruling
The majority of the panel considered that the government has room to investigate these practices and emphasized that the long-term effects of the medications used in minors remain a subject of scientific debate. Judge Carlos Bea, appointed by former President George W. Bush, stated that all presidents set law enforcement priorities and that those priorities may be linked to the policies they advocate.
Judge Daniel Bress, appointed by Trump, joined the majority. The judges described the issue of medical interventions for minors with gender dysphoria as an area of unresolved scientific debate and acknowledged that the administration can also base its opposition on ethical and philosophical considerations.
The subpoena requires ''QueerDoc'' to provide numerous documents, including personnel files, billing information, communications with drug manufacturers, and records related to patients who have been prescribed puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones.
Daniel Bress, a judge appointed by President Donald Trump, is among those who ruled that the Republican government can continue investigating treatments for minors
The administration argues that these records are necessary to determine whether some medical entities may have misled the public about the long-term risks of these treatments. ''QueerDoc'', for its part, argues that the request is overly broad and represents an undue burden. The organization announced that it will continue to challenge it in district court.
The case fits into a broader strategy pushed by Trump. The president signed an executive order rejecting the federal use of the so-called ''gender identity'' as a category that replaces biological sex and reaffirms that there are men and women. He also issued another order aimed at ending federal funding for certain gender transition interventions for minors and directed the DOJ to prioritize investigations into potential violations of drug safety laws.
The administration argues that the risks associated with these interventions justify stricter federal oversight, especially when it comes to minors who may not be in a position to fully assess the consequences of potentially permanent treatments. Among the practices under scrutiny are puberty blockers, hormonal treatments, and certain surgeries.
Supporters of Trump’s policies argue that the court decision strengthens the principle that the government can investigate potential medical irregularities without clinics being automatically shielded from federal information requests. They also believe that the ruling opens the door to a deeper analysis of the scientific evidence, risks, and standards used to treat minors.
The Trump administration has made it a priority to review gender transition treatments for minors, citing their long-term dangers
However, the controversy is far from over. The leftist American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which represents ''QueerDoc'', stated that it will continue to defend the medical confidentiality of patients and challenge the scope of the subpoena.
The ruling comes at a time when several countries have begun to review their policies on transition treatments for minors due to questions about their long-term effects. In the United States, the Trump administration seeks to leverage those doubts to push for a shift in policies adopted during the administration of the Democrat Joe Biden, who promoted greater access to so-called ''gender-affirming'' interventions.
For the White House, the Ninth Circuit's ruling constitutes a favorable signal for its strategy: to investigate questioned medical practices, review the use of federal funds, and demand greater transparency about the risks of treatments administered to minors. The legal process will continue, but the Trump administration achieved a significant victory that allows it to keep open one of its main initiatives in child protection and health regulation.
The leftist organization ACLU has supported ''QueerDoc'' by providing legal assistance and questioning the investigations of the Republican administration
