A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration’s demand for confidential medical records of transgender minors from Rhode Island Hospital, the state’s largest provider of gender-affirming care. U.S. District Judge Mary McElroy ruled Wednesday that the Justice Department’s subpoena was overly broad and lacked sufficient justification. The decision follows similar rulings in at least seven other federal courts that have quashed or limited similar subpoenas issued to over 20 doctors and hospitals last summer.
The DOJ had sought records including birth dates, Social Security numbers, and addresses of patients who received transgender care over the past five years. The subpoena also demanded documents detailing adverse side effects, assessments for prescribing puberty blockers or hormone therapy, and patient intake forms. The department argued the information was needed to investigate possible fraud or unlawful off-label drug promotion, though critics questioned the scope and intent of the request.
Judge McElroy’s ruling criticized the DOJ for abusing its prosecutorial discretion, stating the department had proven 'unworthy of trust' in the case. The DOJ has vowed to appeal, calling the court’s characterization of its attorneys 'outrageous and unjustified.' The investigation is reportedly being conducted in the Northern District of Texas, where a judge had previously ordered Rhode Island Hospital to comply with the subpoena.