Investigate Trump Administration Influence on ASPS Gender Surgery Statement

I am writing to urge you to investigate the Trump Administration's apparent interference in the American Society of Plastic Surgeons' recent position statement on gender-related surgeries. This situation raises serious concerns about political manipulation of medical professional organizations and the integrity of healthcare policy development. The ASPS released a statement in early 2025 recommending members delay gender-related surgeries until patients are at least 19 years old. On the same day, the Department of Health and Human Services issued a press release with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Jim O'Neill, Dr. Mehmet Oz, and Mike Stuart praising ASPS for "bravely standing with Secretary Kennedy." This coordination suggests improper government pressure on a medical organization. Members of the ASPS Gender Surgery Task Force, the actual experts who had been discussing best practices for adolescent care, were kept completely in the dark about the statement's development. Task Force members reported being told that ASPS officials met with government officials, circumventing the Task Force entirely. They received conflicting explanations about the statement's origins, with some told it was years in the making and others told it resulted from "an urgent, time-limited process initiated by a federal agency" over recent weeks. Dr. Scott Leibowitz, a psychiatrist and Task Force member, noted that the statement's recommended age of 19 exactly matches the age listed in a January 2025 Executive Order from the Trump Administration. Dr. Blair Peters, a board-certified plastic surgeon at Oregon Health and Science University, stated that "the broader membership was not involved in this statement in any way" and joined approximately 200 medical professionals in submitting a letter demanding transparency and accountability. This process stands in stark contrast to legitimate medical policy development, such as the American Psychological Association's 2024 update to its gender-affirming care policy through a vote of over 160 representatives. When political officials can pressure medical organizations to bypass their own experts and issue statements that align with executive orders, the independence of medical science is compromised. I urge you to launch an investigation into whether the Trump Administration improperly influenced the ASPS statement and to support legislation protecting medical professional organizations from political interference.