NBC News, By The Associated Press – The American Academy of Pediatrics sued the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday, seeking to block nearly $12 million in cuts to the group.
Earlier this month, the federal government “abruptly terminated” grants to the group, the lawsuit says.
The funding supported numerous public health programs, including efforts to prevent sudden unexpected infant death, strengthen pediatric care in rural communities and support teens facing substance use and mental health challenges.
“The Department of Justice will not sit idly by while doctors, motivated by ideology, profits, or both, exploit and mutilate our children.” – Preventing the Mutilation of American Children, Office of the Attorney General, Washington, DC, April 22, 2025
“AAP does not have other sources of grant funding to replace the federal awards, and without the necessary funds it must immediately terminate its work on its dozens of programs that save children’s lives every day,” says the lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
“Within a few weeks, AAP will have to begin laying off employees dedicated to this critically important work.”
The suit alleges HHS made the cuts in retaliation for the doctors’ group speaking out against the Trump administration’s positions and actions.
The doctors’ group has been vocal about its support for pediatric vaccines and has publicly opposed HHS positions. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — who helped lead the anti-vaccine movement for years — is seeking to broadly remake federal policies on vaccines.
Earlier this year, the pediatrics group released its own recommendations on Covid-19 vaccines, which substantially diverged from the government’s recommendations.
The group also supports access to [so-called] gender-affirming care and has publicly criticized HHS positions on the topic, saying it opposes what it calls the government’s infringements on the doctor-patient relationship …
