NHS England has confirmed that children who have gender dysphoria will no longer be given puberty blockers ahead of a radical change in how it cares for them.
It said insufficient data supports their prescription to children and young people going through a transition in terms of safety or therapeutic efficacy.
NHS England Bans Puberty Blockers
(Photo : Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
The government hailed the "landmark decision" made by NHS England as being "in the best interests of children." NHS England announced an assessment of the available data by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the outcome of a public consultation on the ban, which it initially suggested last June.
A spokesperson claimed that NHS England has carefully considered the evidence review conducted by NICE and further published evidence available to date.
"We have concluded that there is not enough evidence to support the safety or clinical effectiveness of puberty-suppressing hormones to make the treatment routinely available at this time," the spokesperson said.
Puberty blockers stop the physical changes that puberty brings about in a child's body, like the growth of facial hair or breasts. As a result of the NHS's decision, they will not be used as part of the treatment plan for under-18s with gender dysphoria in the new regional clinics that will open next month.
Children and teenagers can no longer obtain them unless they are involved in a research trial. Later this year, at least one of these trials is scheduled to begin, but no information has been released about who will be qualified to participate in it.
Dr. Hilary Cass, a former president of the Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health, was asked by NHS England in late 2020 to investigate gender identity services. At the time, the Tavistock and Portman Mental Health Trust of the NHS in London was the only organization offering them to England, and its use of puberty blockers in treating under-18s with gender dysphoria has drawn criticism.
Less than 100 children and young people are using puberty blockers. At the end of this month, gender identity services will no longer offer its gender identity development service.
The first two new clinics will open in April at Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital in London and Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool, which specializes in children's hospitals. Ultimately, NHS England hopes to create seven or eight centers.
However, the NHS officials said that their services will differ fundamentally from the current service, which aligns with the Cass recommendations.
Maria Caulfield, the health minister, said that they welcome this landmark decision by the NHS to end the routine prescription of puberty blockers. She noted that this guidance recognizes that care must be based on evidence, expert clinical opinion, and in the child's best interests.
Caufield added that the NHS must ensure its gender identity services protect, support, and act in the best interests of children as they will continue to work with NHS England to protect children in this area.
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Gender Rights Group Speak Out
An LGBTQ+ rights charity representative said Stonewall disapproved of the new policy. It said that every trans youth should have timely and high-quality access to healthcare.
The representative added that an important part of this care comes from puberty blockers that give young people extra time to evaluate their next steps. They are concerned that NHS England will put new prescriptions on hold until a research protocol is up and running at the end of 2024.
However, the group Sex Matters, which campaigns on how sex is used in law and other environments, praised NHS England for returning to evidence-based decisions when it came to treatments for gender identity.
Maya Forstater, NHS England's executive director, called the development momentous in correcting its approach to treating childhood gender distress.
She continued that the significance of NHS England's statement that there is not enough evidence to support the safety or clinical effectiveness of puberty blockers cannot be overstated, given the success that activist lobby groups have had in portraying them as a harmless and reversible treatment.
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