NYU Langone Gets 6-Year Subpoena for Minors' Gender-Care Data
Updated
Updated · Gothamist · May 12
NYU Langone Gets 6-Year Subpoena for Minors' Gender-Care Data
10 articles · Updated · Gothamist · May 12
NYU Langone disclosed that federal prosecutors in Northern Texas subpoenaed records on patients under 18 who received gender-affirming care over the past six years, along with the names of clinicians and others involved.
The hospital said it was one of several institutions served with similar grand jury subpoenas and is still evaluating how to respond, while notifying affected people under New York's shield law.
The Justice Department declined to say why it wants the information, but the demand fits a broader Trump administration push to restrict gender-affirming care for minors and threaten funding for hospitals that provide it.
NYU Langone had already stopped offering such care to minors in February, citing staff changes and the regulatory climate; New York's attorney general ordered it in March to resume services, and the system has not said whether it did.
A Brooklyn mother of a 17-year-old former patient called the notice a privacy violation, underscoring fears among families and Democratic-led states that out-of-state investigations could expose patients and providers.
Beyond the investigation, what does the federal government plan to do with the collected data on transgender youth?
As federal scrutiny intensifies, will hospitals choose to protect their patients or their federal funding?
When state privacy laws and a federal subpoena collide, whose authority over medical records will win out?
Over 20 Federal Subpoenas Target Gender-Affirming Care: NYU Langone and the National Legal Battle Over Trans Youth Privacy
Overview
NYU Langone Health, a leading Manhattan hospital, is under federal investigation after the Justice Department issued a grand jury subpoena as part of a nationwide crackdown on gender-affirming care for children. For years, NYU Langone ran a prominent transgender youth health program, but ended it after the federal government threatened to cut all funding. The hospital is now weighing its response, while advocates warn that targeting trans youth and patient privacy could set a precedent affecting everyone. This case highlights concerns about federal overreach, legal tactics like judge shopping, and the broader impact on healthcare privacy and access.