Attorney General Kwame Raoul led a coalition of 19 state attorneys general on Mar. 10 in support of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) as it challenges demands from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for extensive internal information.
The coalition filed an amicus brief backing the Illinois-based AAP’s lawsuit, which seeks to block the FTC’s Civil Investigative Demand. The AAP argues that the request is politically motivated and aims to pressure the organization over its healthcare recommendations, which differ from those favored by the Trump administration.
“The FTC is targeting a professional organization that has helped to shape high quality, life-saving healthcare for children for more than 90 years, simply because the Trump administration’s preferred policies run counter to what the scientific community determined is necessary healthcare,” Raoul said. “If the FTC is successful in pressuring medical organizations to change their evidence-based recommendations for care, then we are all at risk of losing access to effective, necessary healthcare that is not driven by politics.”
In their brief, Raoul and his colleagues argue that states have long regulated healthcare and rely on expert guidance from groups like the AAP when shaping public health policy. They say interference from federal agencies could undermine this process and compromise care standards. The attorneys general also claim that targeting organizations such as the AAP fits a broader pattern by the Trump administration of disregarding widely accepted medical advice on issues ranging from transgender youth care to nutrition and medication safety during pregnancy.
The Illinois Attorney General has advocated for vulnerable groups including workers, immigrants, and seniors according to its official website. The office handles thousands of consumer complaints each year according to its official website and aims to protect consumers while promoting safer communities and advocating for environmental and rights issues according to its official website. Its advocacy extends across Illinois according to its official website, partnering with law enforcement to support crime victims and promote open government according to its official website. Services offered include complaint filing related to consumer fraud and civil rights according to its official website.
The coalition urges the court to grant a preliminary injunction stopping further FTC investigative demands against AAP.