Planned Parenthood sues Missouri attorney general in response to trans care investigation
Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri is suing Missouri's Attorney General Andrew Bailey for his investigation into how the health care provider works with trans youths. The lawsuit was filed Friday in the St. Louis Circuit Court.
In March, Bailey filed a Civil Investigative Demand, consisting of 54 separate requests, according to the lawsuit that aims to have the demand set aside.
The civil investigative demand states that the attorney general's investigation of Washington University Pediatric Transgender Center and others in the state providing similar services are "based in part on, but not limited to, allegations made in a sworn affidavit by Jamie Reed." Reed was a case manager at Washington University's Pediatric Transgender Center. Court records say that Reed's affidavit makes no mention of Planned Parenthood.
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The attorney general's office says it requested "basic documents" after it discovered "that Planned Parenthood provides life-altering gender transition drugs to children without any therapy assessment."
In a statement to The Associated Press, Dr. Colleen McNicholas, PPSLR's chief medical officer, called Bailey's investigation "a fishing expedition." Planned Parenthood also said in a press release that the information Bailey is seeking is protected by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.
“Planned Parenthood knows this playbook well, and we’ll move forward just like we have in every other sham investigation — we’ll continue providing expert and evidence-based health care while we fight in court. This investigation is what ignorance and transphobia look like, and they have no place in our exam rooms," said Yamelsie Rodriguez, PPSLR president and CEO. "To our trans and non-binary patients: our doors remain open to you. We are not backing down.”
In 2021, Planned Parenthood, the Missouri Foundation for Health and the Metro Trans Umbrella Group launched a program called TRANSforming Community TRANSforming Care, which expanded access to gender-affirming care. According to PPSLR's web page on hormone replacement therapy, the organization offers hormone replacement therapy to patients who are 16 and older and does not require a letter of support from a mental health provider.
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Bailey's office says that Planned Parenthood's response should make Missourians "very concerned," and chided the organization for refusing to produce the documents requested.
"Planned Parenthood’s decision not to follow the science, and not to even explain why it will not follow the science, is very concerning," said the office in a statement. "We look forward to prevailing in this request for information and learning what is truly going on with Planned Parenthood in connection with gender transition issues."
In mid-March, Bailey's office issued a press release announcing an emergency rule to "halt experimental gender transition interventions" for minors. Before an emergency rule can go into effect, it must be approved by Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft and be published in the Missouri register. As of April 4, there is no indication that Ashcroft has formally approved the rule nor that it has been published in the Missouri register.
Susan Szuch is the health and public policy reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. Follow her on Twitter @szuchsm. Story idea? Email her at sszuch@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Planned Parenthood sues MO attorney general for trans care inquiry
