In December, Seattle Children’s filed a lawsuit against the Texas attorney general’s office after it opened an investigation into the hospital and requested documents and additional information regarding the transmission of prescription hormone drugs to Texas children and pharmacies, which could violate state law.
As part of the agreement, the state will withdraw its investigation opened last November.
“Seattle Children’s Hospital appeared to break Texas law and initially tried to evade accountability when investigated,” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in an April 22 news release. “When we merely began asking questions, they decided to leave the State of Texas and forfeit the opportunity to do business here.”
Texas law SB 14, which went into effect last September, forbids minors from receiving drug and surgical gender transitions.
The hospital denied that it provided gender-affirming care or operated healthcare facilities in Texas and said it takes complying with applicable laws and their obligations “seriously,” a spokesperson for Seattle Children’s said in a statement shared with Becker’s.
“Protecting the privacy of our patients is our top priority and Seattle Children’s successfully fought the Texas Attorney General’s overreaching demands to obtain confidential patient information,” the statement said. “As a result, the Texas Attorney General withdrew his request. Seattle Children’s does not operate health care facilities nor provide gender-affirming care in Texas. As the largest pediatric care provider in the Pacific Northwest, we comply with all applicable laws and take those obligations seriously.”
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