Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark joined a group of attorneys general on Mar. 17 in filing amicus briefs supporting the Endocrine Society and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, which are facing demands from the Federal Trade Commission for extensive internal information.
The issue is important because state health officials rely on guidance from professional medical organizations to shape public health policies. The attorneys general argue that federal investigations driven by political motives could undermine the ability of states to provide safe and effective healthcare.
According to the filings, the FTC has requested detailed information from both organizations about their deliberative processes, communications, advocacy efforts, educational programs, and finances. The lawsuits filed by ES and WPATH seek court orders to block these civil investigative demands, which they say are intended to further a political agenda rather than protect public health.
Clark and her colleagues said in their briefs that states have historically regulated healthcare and depend on expert recommendations from groups like ES and WPATH. They warn that federal interference based on politics threatens this process by compromising the quality of guidance available to states.
The attorneys general also claim that this action is part of a broader pattern in which the Trump Administration has disagreed with established medical advice from respected professionals. They point out conflicts over issues such as childhood vaccines and medication safety during pregnancy as examples where administration policies have diverged from mainstream recommendations.
Earlier in March, Clark joined another amicus brief with 19 other attorneys general supporting the American Academy of Pediatrics in a similar lawsuit against federal data requests. Copies of both briefs related to ES and WPATH are available through Vermont’s Attorney General website.
