England’s health service stops prescribing puberty blockers to children

The National Health Service on Tuesday released the new policy in response to an evidence review it commissioned in 2020. The new guidance bans the use of puberty blockers to treat children diagnosed with gender dysphoria or gender incongruence. Fewer than 100 minors in England are currently prescribed the drugs, according to the BBC, and they will be allowed to continue taking them. Puberty blockers will be available for children participating in clinical research trials and through some private clinics.

How do puberty blockers work?  The drugs suppress the body’s ability to release testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone, which typically increase during puberty. According to the American College of Pediatrics, it is unclear if puberty blockers are safe for children, and the medicine has been associated with risks of mental illness, osteoporosis, and seizures.

What does the NHS evidence review say about the drugs?  Dr. Hilary Cass, former president of the Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health, in 2022 published an interim report from the review that found there is not enough evidence to show that blockers are safe or effective treatments for gender dysphoria. The review also found that there is little long-term data available to assess how blockers affect patients.

What happens now?  The Gender Identity Development Service at London’s Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust is set to close at the end of this month. Children being treated for gender identity disorders will instead begin receiving care at regional centers set to open over the next two years. The NHS plans to begin its own study into the use of puberty blockers later this year. Treatments for young people will now focus on psychological support.

Dig deeper:  Read a report by Juliana Chan Erikson and myself about leaked files that show confusion among transgender advocates about hormones for children.