NYU Langone hospital today notified its patients that hospital has received a grand jury subpoena from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Texas, demanding that the hospital “provide information pertaining to patients under the age of 18 who received gender affirming care at NYULH between 2020-2026, as well as the names of NYULH providers and others who were involved in offering such care at NYULH in that timeframe.
Hospital officials cited the New York State Shield Law, explaining that the law requires that any entity in the state of New York which receives such a request “for information regarding legally protected health activity, such as the provision of reproductive health care or gender-affirming care” to “make a reasonable attempt” to notify individuals whose records are affected by the request. The hospital has to try and notify those individuals “at least 30 days before complying with or providing information” in response.
“We understand that these developments may be concerning to our patients, providers and others,” NYULH officials said in the notice to patients. “Please know that NYU Langone takes the privacy of your protected health information very seriously, and we are evaluating our response to this subpoena.”
Hospital officials said updates to the situation will be posted on the NYULH website, and that anyone with questions or concerns can email TYHPSubpoena@nyulangone.org.
Tyler Hack, executive director of the Christopher Street Project which works to elect champions of transgender rights to public office (including Texas Congresswoman Julie Johnson who CSP lists as a Trans Right Champion), said in a statement today, “We will not allow anti-trans extremists to turn our hospitals into hunting grounds. Playing political games to weaponize Americans’ private healthcare information is not just an attack on trans people — it is an attack on every single American who benefits from basic patient-provider privacy.”
Hack also stressed that NYU Langone has “a moral and legal obligation to stand up to this power grab and hold the line to protect their patients.”
“The New York Shield Law exists for this exact moment,” Hack continued.” The law requires that every New Yorker, trans or not, receive essential healthcare. NYU must follow New York state law and protect patients, providers, and the integrity of medical care. Trans kids deserve healthcare.”
The U.S. Attorney General for the Northern District of Texas is Ryan Raybould. His office is based in Dallas and, according to the agency’s website, his purpose is to prosecute federal crimes and represent federal agencies in matters in North Texas.
No word yet on Raybould and his office are demanding private medical records from a hospital in New York. But in case someone wanted to call and ask them that question, the phone number for the Dallas office is 214-659-8600, for the Fort Worth office is 817-252-5200, for the Lubbock office is 806-472-7351.
— Tammye Nash