Texas Pediatrician Dr. May Lau Surrenders Her Medical License After Lawsuit Over Transgender Treatments — Permanently Banned from Practicing in the State
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has announced a major victory in his ongoing effort to enforce the state’s 2023 ban on gender-affirming procedures for minors. Dr. May Lau, a Dallas-based pediatrician once affiliated with Children’s Health, has formally surrendered her medical license following a lengthy legal battle with the Texas Attorney General’s Office. The surrender, accepted by the Texas Medical Board, permanently bars Dr. Lau from practicing medicine anywhere in the state.
The case stems from a 2024 lawsuit filed by Paxton’s office accusing Dr. Lau of administering or facilitating access to puberty blockers and hormone treatments for minors in violation of state law. According to court filings, Dr. Lau’s voluntary license surrender does not end the case entirely. The Attorney General confirmed that civil proceedings will continue to determine whether she will face additional financial penalties or sanctions under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act.
“This is a major step toward protecting Texas children,” Paxton said in a public statement on Thursday. “My case against her for breaking the law will continue, and we will not relent in holding anyone accountable who attempts to transition minors. The law is clear — and it will be enforced.”
The announcement marks one of the most high-profile outcomes since the state’s gender-affirming care ban took effect in September 2023. The law prohibits medical professionals from providing puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, or surgical procedures to anyone under 18 for the purpose of gender transition. It also restricts public funding and insurance coverage for such treatments.
Dr. Lau, who had previously spoken out against the law, argued that her work focused on supporting families navigating complex medical and emotional issues. Her attorneys did not respond to requests for comment, but sources close to the case say the decision to surrender her license was part of a broader settlement to avoid further criminal exposure.
The case has reignited national debate over medical ethics, parental rights, and government authority in pediatric healthcare. While supporters of Paxton and the Texas law have hailed the outcome as a victory for child protection, critics, including several national medical associations, say the move undermines patient autonomy and evidence-based care.
Peer-reviewed research, including a 2022 analysis published in JAMA Pediatrics, suggests that access to gender-affirming care can reduce rates of depression and suicidal ideation among transgender youth. However, opponents of such treatments argue that long-term data remain limited and that many young patients may later regret irreversible medical interventions.
Texas is one of more than twenty states that have enacted similar bans, part of a wider movement emphasizing “biological integrity” and state oversight of medical care for minors. Paxton, who has built his political identity around challenging progressive policies on healthcare and education, described the case as a message to doctors nationwide: “Texas will not tolerate the experimentation of children under the guise of medicine.”
The news comes amid heightened political tension across the country, as federal agencies and state governments clash over healthcare standards and civil rights protections. The Biden administration has repeatedly condemned state-level bans on gender-affirming care, while conservative leaders have framed them as necessary to “protect children from ideology-driven medicine.”
For now, Dr. May Lau’s license surrender serves as a landmark moment in the enforcement of Texas’ transgender healthcare law — a decisive move that Attorney General Paxton and his supporters say reinforces their mission to uphold family values and medical accountability in the Lone Star State.
