Selina Simmons-Duffin

In the lawsuit, AAP says the Department of Health and Human Services retaliated against their organization because of that public criticism.

The millions in canceled grants supported work on sudden infant death prevention, rural health, early detection of birth defects and more.

The lawsuit was filed in federal district court in Washington, D.C., and says that without court intervention, these programs will end within weeks.

HHS did not respond to NPR's request for comment.

Selena Simmons-Duffin, NPR News.

AAP represents 67,000 pediatricians across the country.

The organization has pushed back forcefully against the vaccine recommendations implemented by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime anti-vaccine activist.

In the lawsuit, AAP says the Department of Health and Human Services retaliated against their organization because of that public criticism.

The millions in canceled grants supported work on sudden infant death prevention, rural health, early detection of birth defects, and more.

The lawsuit was filed in federal district court in Washington, D.C., and says that without court intervention, these programs will end within weeks.

HHS did not respond to NPR's request for comment.

Selena Simmons-Duffin, NPR News.

Secretary Kennedy published a declaration last week calling gender-affirming care for youth, quote, neither safe nor effective, unquote, to treat gender dysphoria.

The declaration then says that if hospitals and doctors provide this care to young patients, they could be barred from getting Medicare and Medicaid payments entirely.

Now, a coalition of 19 Democratic-led states and D.C.

are asking the U.S.

District Court in Eugene, Oregon, to rule the HHS declaration unlawful and block its enforcement.

In a statement, New York Attorney General Letitia James said, quote, Secretary Kennedy cannot unilaterally change medical standards by posting a document online.

HHS declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Selina Simmons-Duffin, NPR News.