Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced on March 18 that he has joined Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell and a coalition of attorneys general in filing amicus briefs supporting the Endocrine Society and World Professional Association for Transgender Health. The groups are challenging Federal Trade Commission demands for extensive internal information, which they argue are politically motivated by the Trump administration.
The case is significant because it raises concerns about federal interference in the work of independent expert organizations that provide guidance to states and medical providers. According to Raoul, “States like Illinois and their medical providers rely upon expert organizations, such as the Endocrine Society and World Professional Association for Transgender Health, to ensure all residents, including children and youth, have access to quality, evidence-based health care.” He added, “I am proud to work with my fellow attorneys general to urge the court to grant these organizations preliminary injunctions to stop the FTC’s unprecedented and animus-driven investigative demands for information.”
The coalition argues that states have traditionally regulated health care and depend on accurate recommendations from professional groups. They say that federal investigations into these organizations could undermine their ability to provide up-to-date clinical guidelines. The attorneys general also claim this is part of a broader pattern by the Trump administration of rejecting widely accepted public health advice from experts.
Raoul recently joined a similar effort supporting the American Academy of Pediatrics in its lawsuit against what it calls improper data requests from the Trump administration. The current briefs were filed alongside attorneys general from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York (for ES), Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.
The Illinois Attorney General’s office has advocated for vulnerable groups including workers, immigrants and seniors according to its official website. It handles thousands of consumer complaints each year according to its official website and aims to protect consumers while promoting safer communities as well as environmental and rights issues according to its official website. The office extends advocacy efforts across Illinois according to its official website, partners with law enforcement agencies in support of crime victims and open government according to its official website, and offers services such as complaint filing for consumer fraud or civil rights violations according to its official website.
Looking ahead, Raoul said he will continue working with other state attorneys general on legal actions aimed at protecting access to evidence-based health care recommendations.
