FTC Requests Public Comment Regarding “Gender-Affirming Care” for Minors

Today, the Federal Trade Commission launched a public inquiry to better understand how consumers may have been exposed to false or unsupported claims about “gender-affirming care”, especially as it relates to minors, and to gauge the harms consumers may be experiencing. In a Request for Information, the FTC encourages members of the public to comment on any issues or concerns that are relevant to the FTC’s consideration of this topic, including by submitting any written data, advertisements, social media posts, disclosures, or empirical research.

On July 9, 2025, the FTC hosted a workshop on unfair or deceptive trade practices in “gender-affirming care” for minors. The FTC heard testimony from doctors, medical ethicists, whistleblowers, detransitioners, and parents of detransitioners. That testimony indicated that practitioners of “gender-affirming care” may be actively deceiving consumers.

Against this backdrop, the FTC seeks to evaluate whether consumers (in particular, minors) have been harmed and whether medical professionals or others may have violated Sections 5 and 12 of the FTC Act by failing to disclose material risks associated with “gender-affirming care” or making false or unsubstantiated claims about the benefits or effectiveness of “gender-affirming care.” The FTC has a long history of bringing enforcement actions in this area and is uniquely positioned to investigate this potentially unlawful activity.

The public will have 60 days to submit comments at Regulations.gov, no later than September 26, 2025. Once submitted, comments will be posted to Regulations.gov. Individuals wishing to submit confidential, non-public comments should reference the alternative submission guidelines in the RFI.