Judge blocks Trump administration effort to obtain Boston Children’s Hospital records

A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to obtain medical records from Boston Children’s Hospital related to gender-affirming care, ruling that the Justice Department’s subpoena was improper and “motivated only by bad faith,” according to court documents obtained by Becker’s.

Here are five things to know about the ruling:

1. In a Sept. 9 decision, U.S. District Judge Myong J. Joun quashed the administrative subpoena served on the hospital in June. The order demanded 15 categories of information, including personnel files for nearly 2,000 employees, communications with drug manufacturers and patient records containing Social Security numbers and home addresses.
2. The Justice Department said it was investigating possible fraud and unlawful promotion of puberty blockers and hormones. Judge Joun said the sweeping requests bore little connection to billing or drug promotion and reflected the Trump administration’s stated goal of ending gender-affirming care.
3. “The administration has been explicit about its disapproval of the transgender community and its aim to end GAC,” Judge Joun wrote. “It is abundantly clear that the true purpose of issuing the subpoena is to interfere with the commonwealth of Massachusetts’ right to protect GAC within its borders, to harass and intimidate the hospital to stop providing such care and to dissuade patients from seeking such care.”
4. On Jan. 28, President Donald Trump issued an executive order restricting federal funding and support for gender-affirming care for minors. The order directed federal agencies to reassess policies and ensure institutions that receive federal research or education grants are not providing gender-related care.
5. Boston Children’s Hospital asked the court to block the subpoena, saying it sought virtually every document tied to its gender-affirming care program, including sensitive and personally identifiable patient information. The hospital also moved to seal the case, citing threats and harassment of its staff, but Judge Joun denied that request, keeping the docket public.

Judge Joun’s ruling leaves the case open but prevents the Justice Department from obtaining the hospital’s records.

The post Judge blocks Trump administration effort to obtain Boston Children’s Hospital records appeared first on Becker’s Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.