A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Justice Department from accessing the medical records of patients who received pediatric gender treatments at New York hospitals. Judge Katherine Polk Failla ruled that the government’s pursuit of the records was unconstitutional and part of an effort to “demonize and eradicate an entire population of transgender individuals”.

Background

The Justice Department had sought the records as part of a probe into potential “misbranding” of drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The investigation targeted hospitals that provided pediatric gender treatments, including NYU Langone Hospitals, which received a federal grand jury subpoena in May.

According to the lawsuit, at least 40 individuals received treatment at NYU Langone between January 1, 2020, and May 5, 2026. The plaintiffs, including minors, their parents, and young adults, argued that the subpoenas would compromise their privacy and put them at risk of harassment and discrimination.

Ruling

Judge Failla granted class-action status to the plaintiffs and ruled that the Justice Department had violated the Fourth and Fifth Amendments to the Constitution with its subpoenas. She set a July 8 hearing to hear additional evidence before deciding whether to impose a preliminary injunction.

Omar Gonzalez-Pagan, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, called the ruling “a victory for the basic privacy of our clients and all families like theirs across New York City.” He added that using subpoenas to attain the identities and sensitive health information of transgender young people “should send chills down the spine of every American.”

Original reporting: 40/29 / KHBS (NW Arkansas) — read the source article.