The state of Maryland is once again at odds with the Trump administration in court, this time focusing on the accessibility of gender-affirming healthcare.
Recent court filings reveal that several states are accusing the Trump administration of illegally trying to restrict youth access to gender-affirming care.
Officials assert that on December 18, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a statement that “incorrectly asserts” that certain types of gender-affirming care are “unsafe and ineffective.”
This declaration also threatens repercussions for healthcare professionals, hospitals, and clinics that choose to continue providing these services, including exclusion from federal Medicare and Medicaid programs.
READ: Maryland sues Trump DOJ for threatening prosecution of doctors providing youth gender-affirming care
“The so-called gender-affirming care has caused enduring physical and psychological harm to vulnerable young people,” commented Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., during a speech at HHS’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. “This isn’t a medical matter; it’s malpractice.”
“Promoting transgender ideology among children is harmful and needs to be addressed,” stated Martin Makary, Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration.
RELATED: Trump administration seeks nationwide ban on gender-affirming care for minors
The lawsuit contends that the HHS declaration violates federal law by illegally altering medical standards without them going through the necessary notice and comment process, which encroaches on states’ rights to regulate healthcare.
“Decisions regarding healthcare should be made between doctors and their patients—not legislators in Washington, D.C. who are threatening to jeopardize the careers of providers and instilling fear among transgender youth and their families,” stated Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown. “This issue goes beyond legal compliance—although HHS is clearly overstepping the law. It’s about safeguarding vulnerable young individuals who deserve the same dignity, respect, and medical access as anyone else. We are taking a stand against this inhumane and unlawful action, ensuring that every Maryland resident, regardless of identity, receives compassionate, evidence-based healthcare without fear of reprisal for doing what is right.”
The primary aim of the lawsuit is to have the HHS’s declaration declared unlawful and to prevent its enforcement.
This legal action is part of nearly 50 lawsuits that Maryland has either filed or joined against the Trump administration on various fronts. For more details on the ongoing status of these lawsuits, click here:
