WATCH: Parents org files complaint against Planned Parenthood over gender transition drugs

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(The Center Square) – Washington Parents Network has filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission against Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho, alleging the nonprofit has been “making millions of dollars by giving children toxic” gender transitioning drugs “such as puberty blockers and cross sex hormones, for uses not approved by the FDA.”

“These drugs have serious adverse side effects, including obesity, tumors and increased rates of blood clots, heart attacks, strokes, cancer, depression, suicide and permanent sterility,” according to the Sept. 19 complaint.

“They’re giving kids medical advice and parents medical advice, which is not supported by any science, and has never been supported by any science, but yet parents believe it, and kids believe it,” WPN Executive Director David Spring told The Center Square on Monday.

He continued: “So you wind up with thousands of kids here in Washington state who think that they are transgender, which is actually a concept that doesn't exist. They talk about how counseling is bad for kids and you've got to get kids started on drugs and all this, when there's a mountain of science that shows that these trans drugs are toxic, both the cross sex hormones and the puberty blockers.”

WPN’s complaint notes the exponential increase in the number of children receiving transgender medical care through Planned Parenthood and the increased taxpayer expense at the state level and through health insurance premiums.

According to the 2024 Annual Report for Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho, 3,355 gender-affirming care visits occurred. The organization had more than $29.3 million in revenue and more than $27.1 million in expenses.  

“Planned Parenthood promotes these toxic trans drugs as ‘Gender-Affirming Care,’ falsely claiming that these drugs can magically ‘transition’ children from one biological sex to the other sex, despite the fact that there are at least 6,500 genetic differences between the sexes and no drugs are able to change a child from one sex to the other,” WPN’s complaint states. “A more accurate term for these drugs is ‘Gender Mutilation Child Abuse.’

Gov. Bob Ferguson has promised to cover any federal funding gap for Planned Parenthood via the federal Big Beautiful Bill Act, which includes a one-year moratorium on Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood. It’s set to take effect in 2027.

“Medicaid is one of the primary payers for Planned Parenthood, covering services including preventative care and cancer screenings. Medicaid Funds cannot be used to pay for abortion services,” Ferguson said in a July 9, news release. “In Washington, Planned Parenthood receives at least $22 million a year in Medicaid funding, which includes at least $11 million from the federal government. It is one of Washington’s preeminent Medicaid providers.”

Spring said he does not expect to receive any response from the FTC to their complaint until the official federal comment period ends.

“The comment period ends on, I believe, Friday, Sept. 26th at five o'clock Eastern Time, and then they are going to take these comments and they're going to review all of the comments,” he said, noting more than 5,000 comments have come in.

Spring’s complaint details a plan for a victim compensation fund.

“And given that people's lives are worth about a million dollars and that their lives have been destroyed, we want a fund that would provide each of these victims, and we believe that there are more than 10,000 victims here in Washington state alone,” he explained. “We want at least a $1 billion fund, just for the victims here in Washington state.”

The Center Square contacted Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho, but did not receive a response.

WPN has a separate complaint with the U.S. Department of Education and the Department of Justice over alleged Title IX violations. Following the Trump administration's intervention, a larger challenge is likely headed for the U.S. Supreme Court.