Texas AG Ken Paxton Files Lawsuit Against El Paso Physician Over "Gender Transition" Treatments for Minors.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, 61, has filed a lawsuit against Dr. Hector M. Granados, a physician in El Paso, accusing him of unlawfully administering "gender transition" therapies, including puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones, to minors.

Paxton claims that Dr. Granados, a pediatric endocrinologist, violated Texas state law by providing these treatments to patients as young as 12 years old with the intent of facilitating gender transitions. The lawsuit was filed on October 30, 2024, and seeks both temporary and permanent injunctions to prevent further treatment, along with monetary penalties for each alleged violation.

Texas Cracks Down on "Gender Transition" Treatments for Minors

Attorney General Paxton's lawsuit highlights a growing crackdown on medical professionals in Texas who are accused of illegally prescribing puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to minors. Paxton stated in his release: "Texas is cracking down on doctors illegally prescribing dangerous ‘gender transition’ drugs to children," referring to the irreversible and potentially harmful effects of these treatments. Under state law, such procedures are banned for minors, and Paxton is committed to prosecuting any healthcare providers who violate this law.

Granados is accused of prescribing these treatments to 21 minors, aged 12 to 17, many of whom reside in El Paso County. Paxton's office claims that Granados violated Senate Bill 14, a law passed in September 2023 that prohibits gender transition-related medical procedures—such as hormone therapies and surgeries—for individuals under 18 years old. The Texas Supreme Court upheld the law in June 2024, further solidifying its standing. Granados is also accused of falsifying medical records, prescriptions, and billing documents to cover up these actions.

The Allegations: Falsifying Records and Prescribing "Dangerous" Treatments

The legal action specifically accuses Dr. Granados of being a "scofflaw" who jeopardized the health of children by administering medical treatments intended to facilitate their transition from their biological sex. The lawsuit states that Granados went as far as to falsify medical records, diagnoses, and prescriptions to continue administering puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones despite the legal prohibitions.

The lawsuit also claims that Granados' actions included misdiagnosing patients to ensure they would qualify for insurance coverage for gender transition therapies.

The complaint further alleges that Granados issued illegal prescriptions as recently as August 19, 2024, with some patients reportedly receiving these medications as late as October 12, 2024. The legal action seeks a $10,000 fine for each violation of the law committed by Granados, in addition to the injunction preventing him from providing any further treatments.

Dr. Granados' Past Statements and Actions Under Scrutiny

Dr. Granados, a pediatric endocrinologist at Pediatric Endocrinology Associates in El Paso, is also accused of establishing the Children & Adolescent Gender Clinic at Texas Tech Health Sciences Center. The clinic, which was reported on in a 2015 article from the El Paso Times, is said to have provided medical care for minors seeking gender transition treatments. In the article, Granados discussed following Endocrine Society guidelines for transgender care, which included administering puberty blockers at the onset of puberty and cross-gender hormones as early as ages 12 to 13, provided the child had identified as the opposite gender and had the necessary social support.

The lawsuit references this statement, using it to bolster the claim that Granados intentionally circumvented state law by continuing to offer these treatments to minors, despite the explicit legal restrictions. Additionally, the Texas Attorney General's office has pointed to multiple medical journals and presentations by Granados that discuss the medical transition of children, further raising questions about the physician's compliance with Texas state law.

Legal and Ethical Implications

The case against Dr. Granados underscores the ongoing legal and ethical debate surrounding gender transition treatments for minors. Texas, along with several other states, has passed laws restricting access to such procedures for individuals under 18, citing concerns over the long-term effects and ethical implications of gender transition therapies on children.

Critics of these laws argue that such decisions should be left to parents and medical professionals, while proponents, like Paxton, emphasize the importance of protecting children from potentially irreversible treatments.

This lawsuit is part of a broader effort by Texas lawmakers to regulate transgender healthcare and restrict access to gender-affirming care for minors. Paxton’s office has made it clear that it will take legal action against any healthcare providers who fail to adhere to these new laws.

The outcome of this case could have significant implications for physicians practicing in the state and set a precedent for future legal actions against doctors accused of administering gender transition treatments to minors.

As of now, Dr. Granados has not publicly responded to the lawsuit, and court records do not indicate that he has retained legal representation. Granados' office has declined to comment on the matter, and there has been no response to Paxton's claims that he has been prescribing illegal treatments.

The lawsuit seeks a prompt temporary injunction to halt Granados' actions and prevent him from providing further gender transition treatments to minors. If the court grants the temporary injunction, Granados will be prohibited from administering these therapies until a final judgment is reached.

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