The U.S. Department of Justice has withdrawn its effort to obtain medical records that would identify transgender minors who received gender-affirming care at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, ending a months-long legal fight over patient privacy and federal authority.
According to court filings and hospital statements cited by NBC Los Angeles, the DOJ agreed to drop its subpoena request for names, birth dates, and other identifying information tied to transgender youth treated at the hospital. The records demand had been part of a federal inquiry into the use of puberty blockers and hormone therapy, which the government claimed was connected to possible violations of federal drug laws.
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles challenged the subpoena, arguing that complying would violate patient confidentiality and expose vulnerable minors and their families to potential harm. Several families joined the legal effort, warning that the disclosure of personal medical information could have lasting consequences for their children.
Under the agreement reached this week, the Justice Department will no longer seek information that directly identifies individual patients. The hospital may redact personal details from any remaining documents it provides, effectively ending the dispute over naming transgender youth who received care.
Advocates for transgender healthcare access welcomed the decision, calling it a necessary step to protect patient privacy. However, they cautioned that the settlement does not eliminate broader federal scrutiny of gender-affirming care providers and does not prevent similar actions elsewhere.
The move comes amid growing pressure on pediatric hospitals nationwide as the Trump administration escalates its focus on transgender healthcare. While the DOJ backed away from its records demand in Los Angeles, other healthcare systems have responded to federal threats by scaling back or ending care altogether.
Earlier this week, Rady Children’s Health announced it will stop providing gender-affirming medical care to minors across its facilities in Southern California. The decision, reported by the Los Angeles Times, was attributed to concerns over federal investigations and the potential loss of government funding, including Medicaid reimbursements.
Rady officials said medical interventions such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy will end in early February, though mental health support and care coordination services will continue. Families affected by the decision have expressed concern about disruptions to treatment and the lack of alternative providers.
Civil rights groups have criticized Rady’s decision, arguing that no federal law currently bans gender-affirming care for minors in California. Organizations including Equality California have accused hospitals of acting out of fear rather than legal necessity, leaving patients caught in the middle of political disputes.
The DOJ’s retreat in the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles case also follows a recent federal court ruling in Washington, D.C., where a judge rejected a similar attempt to obtain transgender patient records. In that case, the judge questioned whether the government’s actions served a legitimate investigative purpose.
While the settlement offers relief to families involved in the Los Angeles case, healthcare advocates say it does little to slow the broader campaign of legal pressure and funding threats that continue to reshape access to transgender healthcare nationwide.
