DOJ and Texas AG Announce First Settlement in National Investigation of Gender-Affirming Care for Minors
On May 15, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced agreements with Texas Children’s Hospital (“TCH”) resolving allegations related to TCH’s provision of gender-affirming care to minors. The matter marks the first publicly announced resolution arising from DOJ’s ongoing nationwide investigation into alleged federal-law violations associated with such care. The resolution is notable not only because of the subject matter involved, but also because of the enforcement architecture it reflects: coordination between DOJ and a state attorney general; reliance on False Claims Act (“FCA”) and Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (“FDCA”) theories that remain largely untested in this context; and remedies that extend well beyond a monetary payment.
