HELENA – Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen led a coalition of 12 attorneys general in launching an investigation today into the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) for sharing misleading and deceptive statements that ignore the long-term and harmful consequences of using puberty blockers to treat children with gender dysphoria.

While medical reports show that puberty blockers can have irreversible effects on children which include compromised bone density; neurocognitive development interference; and, in some cases, even cause infertility and sterility, the AAP continues to tout the effects of puberty blockers as “reversible.” The AAP’s statements could be a violation of Montana’s Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Act because the organization is providing misleading and deceptive information to Montanans.

“Puberty blockers can have serious and irreversible consequences for children, but AAP appears to ignore those consequences and instead promotes them as ‘reversible.’ That’s unacceptable and could be a violation of Montana law,” Attorney General Knudsen said. “The information AAP provides must be accurate and based in scientific fact as parents and medical professionals rely on them for guidance in making healthcare decisions for children.”

Even though scientific evidence does not support the AAP’s claims, the organization has doubled down on their deceptive messaging. In their 2018 gender-affirming care policy statement, the organization claims that the effects of treating minors with puberty blockers is “reversible.” Then “reaffirmed” that claim in 2023. Meanwhile, even the World Health Organization has refused to endorse puberty blockers as treatment for gender dysphoria.

Attorney General Knudsen also joined a coalition of 21 states in September demanding answers from AAP to determine if the organization is in violation of state consumer protection laws for their misleading statements regarding puberty blockers. However, the attorneys general have not received a response which led to the launch of this formal investigation.

“The AAP has no basis to assure parents that giving their children puberty blockers can be fully reversed. It just isn’t true,” the attorneys general wrote in their September letter.

Click here to read the civil investigative demand.