Overview
- Attorney General James Uthmeier filed a 75-page complaint on Dec. 9 in Florida’s 19th Judicial Circuit in St. Lucie County against WPATH, the Endocrine Society and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
- The suit alleges violations of Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act and the state RICO statute, claiming the groups misled families, insurers, regulators and courts about the safety, reversibility and efficacy of pediatric interventions.
- Florida seeks declaratory and injunctive relief plus civil penalties, including $1 million per defendant and $10,000 for each allegedly false safety claim, along with restrictions on advertising pediatric interventions as safe or reversible.
- The complaint says the organizations coordinated guidelines to drive demand and membership revenue, a premise praised by conservative and parent-rights groups and disputed by outlets that cite research supporting gender-affirming care and criticize reliance on the Cass Review.
- The filing follows Florida’s 2023 restrictions on youth gender care that face ongoing litigation, and the defendant organizations have been contacted for comment and are expected to mount legal responses.