Nineteen states and the District of Columbia sued the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), its Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and its Comptroller General. The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Eugene, Oregon. The states accuse HHS of making an illegal and inaccurate statement that labeled treatments such as puberty blockers, hormone therapy and surgery as dangerous and ineffective for children and adolescents with gender dysphoria. This statement warns physicians of exclusion from federal programs such as Medicare and Medicaid if they provide such care. The statement was issued last Thursday and is part of an effort to curb gender-affirming care for young people. The lawsuit asks the court to enjoin the implementation of the declaration because HHS, it says, bypassed its duty to publicly invite comments. Most major U.S. medical organizations, including the American Medical Association, criticize the statement as inaccurate and oppose restrictions on such care.1