Texas AG Accuses Doctor Of Defying Ban On Gender Treatments For Minors

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is taking aim at what he calls a deliberate attempt to skirt state law banning gender treatments for minors.

In a sweeping lawsuit, Texas alleges that Dr. Jason Jarin and Children’s Health System of Texas continued prescribing puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to minors after the state’s Senate Bill 14 took effect on September 1, 2023. The lawsuit further claims the defendants defrauded Texas Medicaid and violated state consumer protection statutes in the process.

“I will use every legal tool available to ensure radical gender activists like Jarin face justice for hurting our kids,” Paxton said. “Experimental ‘transition’ procedures on minors are illegal, unethical, and will not be tolerated in Texas.”

Passed in June 2023, Senate Bill 14 prohibits physicians from providing puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to minors for the purpose of gender transition. The law allows limited exceptions for certain pre-existing medical conditions, such as precocious puberty, but explicitly bars their use for gender dysphoria.

Texas joined a growing list of states enacting similar restrictions. As of 2024, more than 20 states have passed laws limiting or banning medical gender interventions for minors.

Supporters argue these measures protect children from irreversible medical decisions. Opponents contend the laws interfere with parental rights and medical discretion.

The 75-page lawsuit accuses Dr. Jarin of:

• Continuing to prescribe cross-sex hormones and puberty blockers after SB-14 went into effect

• Billing males for birth control medications allegedly used as estrogen

• Using diagnostic codes such as “precocious puberty” to secure reimbursement

• Implementing a so-called “wean protocol” designed to maintain hormone levels for years

According to the filing, the “wean protocol” reduced dosages so gradually that minors could remain on hormones for two to five additional years potentially until they turned 18 and could legally resume treatment.

Paxton alleges the protocol had “no legitimate medical basis” and served as a pretext to continue treatments banned under state law.

The lawsuit claims violations of the Texas Health Care Program Fraud Prevention Act and the Texas Business & Commerce Code. It alleges Dr. Jarin knowingly violated SB-14 with respect to at least twelve minor patients.

Puberty blockers are FDA-approved to treat precocious puberty, a rare endocrine disorder that triggers unusually early development. They are not FDA-approved for treating gender dysphoria.

Nationally, debate over youth gender medicine has intensified. A 2023 systematic review commissioned by the U.K.’s National Health Service found limited high-quality evidence supporting long-term psychological benefits from such treatments in minors. Meanwhile, medical advocacy groups in the United States maintain that gender-affirming interventions can reduce distress in carefully evaluated patients.

Children’s Health System responded in a brief statement, saying it complies with all applicable laws but declined further comment due to ongoing litigation.

UT Southwestern Medical Center, where Dr. Jarin holds an academic appointment, did not immediately respond to media inquiries.

If proven, Medicaid fraud allegations could draw federal scrutiny from the Department of Justice. Texas is seeking civil penalties, restitution, and injunctive relief.

The case underscores how the national fight over gender medicine has shifted from legislative chambers to courtrooms. With billions in Medicaid funds at stake and conflicting interpretations of medical ethics, the outcome could shape how aggressively states enforce bans on gender treatments for minors.

As legal proceedings unfold, Texas officials insist they will pursue accountability to the fullest extent of state law.

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