In a significant legal move, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Wednesday. The lawsuit aims to prevent the enforcement of nearly $12 million in funding cuts that threaten the organization’s vital public health initiatives.

The legal action follows the federal government’s sudden decision earlier this month to terminate grants awarded to the AAP, according to the details outlined in the lawsuit. These grants were crucial in supporting a wide array of public health programs. Among these were efforts to reduce sudden unexpected infant deaths, enhance pediatric care services in rural areas, and provide support for teenagers grappling with substance abuse and mental health issues.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, emphasizes the grave impact of these funding cuts. “AAP does not have other sources of grant funding to replace the federal awards,” the lawsuit states. “Without the necessary funds, it must immediately terminate its work on its dozens of programs that save children’s lives every day.” The organization is facing the stark reality of needing to lay off employees dedicated to these essential programs within weeks if the funding shortfall is not resolved.

Adding another layer to the case, the AAP alleges that HHS’s decision to cut the funding was retaliatory. They claim it was a response to the organization’s criticism of the Trump administration’s policies and actions, suggesting a troubling motive behind the abrupt funding cessation.

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 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.

“The Department of Health and Human Services is using federal funding as a political weapon to punish protected speech, trying to silence one of the nation’s most trusted voices for children’s well-being by cutting off critical public-health funding in retaliation for speaking the truth,” Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, said in a statement. Perryman’s organization is representing the doctors’ group in the case.

A spokesman for HHS could not immediately be reached for comment.

Mark Del Monte, CEO and executive vice president of the 67,000-member doctors’ group, said the organization depends on its relationship with the federal government.

“We need this partnership to advance policies that prioritize children’s health. These vital child health programs fund services like hearing screenings for newborns and safe sleep campaigns to prevent sudden unexpected infant death,” he said in a statement. “We are forced to take legal action today so that these programs can continue to make communities safer and healthier.” 

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