The United Kingdom permanently extended the ban puberty blockers for people under the age of 18, without the prescription of drugs used to treat gender dysphoria, the government announced this week. There will be an exemption for people who choose to participate in a clinical trial aimed at studying the safety and effectiveness of puberty suppression, which is scheduled to begin next year. Young people who have already prescribed blockers are allowed to continue taking them, the government said.
British health secretary, Wes Streeting, announced the decision on Wednesday. He cited guidance from an independent panel that suggested prescribing anti-puberty to young people carries an “unacceptable” risk and recommended permanent restrictions “while work is done to ensure the safety” of such treatments.
“Children’s health care must always be evidence-led,” Streeting said in a statement. “The independent expert Human Medicines Commission has found that the current approach to the diagnosis and care of gender dysphoria and non-conformity presents an unacceptable safety risk to children and young people.”
The latest decision extends emergency measures set in the UK earlier this year restricting the sale and supply of hormonal drugs that can suppress puberty, which may be prescribed as a method gender affirming care. In March, Britain’s Department of National Health suspended general drug ban orders for children and young people under the age of 18 in clinics, due to a significant review of the country’s approach to gender identity in health care.
That review, carried out by the UK’s leading paediatrician, Dr Hilary Cass, found enough evidence to confirm that puberty blockers were safe for young people. Cass stressed that “they should only be determined following a multidisciplinary evaluation and within a research protocol.” He described these drugs as “powerful drugs with unproven benefits and significant risks” in a statement in response to the health secretary’s announcement.
“I support the government’s decision to continue with restrictions on the distribution of puberty blockers for gender dysphoria outside the NHS where these important safeguards cannot be provided,” Cass said.
The government’s emergency ban went into effect in May.
The decision was criticized by lawyers including Keyne Walker of TransActual, who said the ban created “simple discrimination,” BBC News reported.
“Evidence of the harms of temporary bans continues to emerge, and will only increase as we make them permanent,” Walker said.
Streeting said the new policies for gender-affirming care would prioritize and implement mental health services targeted at transgender children and young people in the UK, and their families.
“We’re working with NHS England to open new gender identity services, so people can get the full health and wellness support they need,” Streeting said. “We are planning a clinical trial on the use of contraceptives next year, in order to obtain a clear evidence base for the use of this drug.”
James Palmer, medical director of special services at the NHS, said the agency welcomes the government’s decision to extend the law and also welcomes its impact on children.
“This will be a difficult time for young people and their families affected, so we are proposing targeted support for anyone affected by a restraining order on their mental health services,” Palmer said in a statement.
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