Parents, It’s Time to Name Names

Submit your story to the FTC hotline

Do you have a child harmed by “gender affirming care” (GAC)? The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) wants to hear your story on medical and mental health fraud associated with GAC. The more people who submit complaints about a specific place or provider, the better. Your child does not have to be a minor to submit a comment. They are interested in information on:

• Any false or deceptive claims made to you or your child regarding the benefits of GAC such as improved mental health, or failure to disclose risks, with provider names.

• Records or reports of being told that your child would commit suicide without GAC with statements such as, “Would you rather have a live son or a dead daughter?”

• Deceptive or false information about GAC services advertised online or provided by online providers such as Plume or Folx, especially if it was after only one visit.

• Specifics about places and dates will make the complaint useful to investigators.

• Any lies or falsehoods, by commission or omission, made to you by medical providers that resulted in you consenting to puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones.

• If you have documentation, such as emails or notes by providers, upload them. Redact identifying patient information such as names, dates of birth and social security number.

The FTC wants to hear it all! It’s time to name names!

When filling out your complaint, please keep these guidelines in mind.

Start with a heading. This will make it much easier for the FTC to know immediately what category they fall under. Some examples: XYZ Hospital System, Doctor XYZ plastic surgeon on Tik Tok, Doctor XYZ, Psychologist at X facility, or online cross sex hormone seller.

Stick to the facts. The complaints need to be based on your net impressions as the consumer. The intent of the person or agency providing the services doesn’t matter. The most important thing in the complaint is the consumer’s perspective. Be clear on how or what you were told that shaped your perception and decisions (if applicable). Be factual but don’t emote and don’t be too wordy. Some examples:

• If a doctor says to a child “your sex was assigned male at birth”, the complaint might expresses how those words shaped his understanding of his sex.

• Parents who was told that puberty blockers were safe and fully reversible might explain how those statements shaped their understanding and affected their decision to allow their child to be medicalized. The complaint could read: “I was told that puberty blockers were safe and reversible so I consented to it for my child. Now she has osteopenia”.

Below is the FTC’s press release announcing the public request for comment:

Today, the Federal Trade Commission launched a public inquiry to better understand how consumers may have been exposed to false or unsupported claims about “gender-affirming care”, especially as it relates to minors, and to gauge the harms consumers may be experiencing. In a Request for Information, the FTC encourages members of the public to comment on any issues or concerns that are relevant to the FTC’s consideration of this topic, including by submitting any written data, advertisements, social media posts, disclosures, or empirical research.

The public will have 60 days to submit comments at Regulations.gov, no later than September 26, 2025. Once submitted, comments will be posted to Regulations.gov. Individuals wishing to submit confidential, non-public comments should reference the alternative submission guidelines in the RFI.

Against this backdrop, the FTC seeks to evaluate whether consumers (in particular, minors) have been harmed and whether medical professionals or others may have violated Sections 5 and 12 of the FTC Act by failing to disclose material risks associated with “gender-affirming care” or making false or unsubstantiated claims about the benefits or effectiveness of “gender-affirming care.” The FTC has a long history of bringing enforcement actions in this area and is uniquely positioned to investigate this potentially unlawful activity.

To submit public comments, go here: Submit via Regulations.gov. Make sure you leave contact information so the FTC can follow up, if needed. If there is no contact information, your complaint may not be actionable.

The FTC is providing an option for confidential comments so, if you’d like to go that route, DO NOT submit through Regulations.gov. If you need to be confidential use the email. Say that you need to stay confidential and the reasons why. To submit an anonymous comment email ElectronicFilings@ftc.gov along with a request for confidential treatment. The communication should reference the docket number, FTC-2025-0264. It is best to leave contact information so the FTC can follow up.

LGB Courage Coalition has a video with more information and will provide help with submissions.

See also here for more information about submissions.

My son was harmed and I have shared my story on PITT. There are thousands of us out there. The government needs to know our stories so they can investigate and shut down these doctors, clinics, and agencies for fraud. Remember, the FTC investigates consumer fraud, not medical malpractice.

You can make a difference. Your identity can be protected but now is your chance to have the people that harmed your child investigated.

The deadline is September 26, 2025.

If you missed the FTC workshop here is the link.

Note: Do not address insurance or Medicaid fraud with the FTC. HHS requests tips regarding fraud, abuse, or misconduct related to Medicare, Medicaid, or other HHS programs. Report it here: https://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/report-fraud/ You can also report to the HHS any whistleblower tips and complaints regarding the Chemical and Surgical Mutilation of Children.