A group of Pittsburgh-area parents are calling out UPMC Children’s Hospital for what they describe as a failure to protect the medical privacy and rights of transgender youth, following a federal subpoena that may compromise patient records.
On June 11, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice issued a federal subpoena seeking access to sensitive medical and personal information of patients receiving gender-affirming care. Parents say UPMC has remained silent in the face of the request, unlike other hospitals across the country that have actively resisted federal efforts to access private medical data.
“UPMC has told us nothing about the DOJ’s fishing expedition to expose our children’s private medical records since its last public statement on July 31,” said RHC, the parent of a transgender teen whose records may be affected. They wish to go by only their initials for privacy concerns. “This lack of transparency leaves families like ours fearful that UPMC has violated our children’s privacy and trampled our parental rights. We trusted UPMC to protect their patients’ private health information, and now, we have no reason to believe that they have done so.”
While Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Boston Children’s Hospital have challenged similar subpoenas in court and maintained communication with impacted families, parents in Pittsburgh say UPMC’s silence has left them feeling “abandoned and vulnerable.”
“This is a five-alarm fire,” said JH, another parent of a trans teenager. “Thanks to UPMC’s eager willingness to pre-comply with the Trump administration’s bullying and cruelty, my child has already lost access to medically necessary, safe, evidence-based, life-saving care. I should not also have to worry about whether UPMC is going to protect my child’s privacy.”
JH also warned that the implications extend far beyond transgender youth. “This isn’t just about trans kids. Everyone should be terrified and furious about what is happening here. Who will be their next target?”
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The subpoena reportedly seeks information on patients dating back to January 2020, including Social Security numbers, addresses, and personal communications between families and medical providers. Parents say the release of this information could place families at legal risk and be used to further stigmatize and target transgender youth and their care providers.
“The public needs to know that UPMC is allowing parents to be stripped of the right to make medical decisions for their own children,” said VM, another parent of a transgender child. “It’s not just our families at risk. It’s everyone’s rights and everyone’s privacy.”
In a unified call to action, parents are urging elected officials to intervene and for UPMC to take a clear and public stand.
“Elected officials at all levels of government must take immediate action to protect children, families, and doctors from legal threats meant to scare them into submission,” said HP, another parent in the group.
The group of parents, organizing under the name Pittsburgh Parents for Medical & Privacy Rights, are demanding that UPMC challenge the subpoena, protect all affected medical records, and publicly affirm its commitment to medical freedom and family autonomy.
As of publication, UPMC has not issued a new public statement addressing the subpoena or the concerns raised by impacted families.
