The Department of Justice has taken a major legal step against Rhode Island Hospital, filing a petition in a Texas federal court to force the facility to hand over medical records involving pediatric gender-related treatments.
The legal action, filed Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, stems from a July 2025 subpoena. Federal investigators are looking into the distribution of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to minors.
While the FDA has approved these drugs for other conditions, the DOJ notes the agency has not officially determined they are safe or effective for treating gender dysphoria.
READ: Florida Sen. Rick Scott Presses War Dept. Leaders On 30-Year Recruiting High, Global Arms Strategy
Despite the request being issued nearly ten months ago, officials say Rhode Island Hospital has largely ignored the demand. According to court documents, the hospital has only produced a single six-page document in response to 15 different requests for information.
“The Department of Justice expects and demands full compliance with validly issued subpoenas like the one at issue here,” said Brett A. Shumate, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division. “Non-compliance with lawful process is never an option.”
The investigation is focused on potential violations of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA). Specifically, the government is checking if these drugs were “misbranded” through off-label promotion or if there was fraudulent billing to healthcare benefit programs.
Investigators are also looking for evidence of whether pharmaceutical companies or the hospital itself downplayed risks to parents and patients.
READ: Bench Under Siege: Maryland Federal Court Fights Trump Admin’s “Unprecedented” Lawsuit
The DOJ is asking for a wide range of documents dating back to 2020. These include:
- Personnel files for staff involved in prescribing these treatments.
- Billing and insurance coding records to check for potential fraud.
- Records of financial relationships between the hospital and drug manufacturers.
- Patient charts to track the scale of drug distribution and any reported side effects.
Government lawyers argued in the filing that the hospital is unique in its refusal to cooperate, stating that other facilities facing similar subpoenas have already complied. The DOJ claims the records are essential to determine if medical providers misled the public or intended to defraud insurance providers.
Rhode Island Hospital has not yet commented on the filing. The case remains pending in the Fort Worth Division of the Northern District of Texas.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox
