U.K. indefinitely bans puberty blockers for minors

The government will make permanent an earlier temporary ban on the use of puberty-blocking drugs to treat gender dysphoria in children under 18, officials said Wednesday. Health Secretary Wes Streeting said he extended the ban after medical experts found there was an unacceptable safety risk with the use of the drugs. The guidance applies in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It will be subject to review in 2027.

What is the history of the ban? Officials first introduced the ban in May after the U.K.’s National Health Service stopped prescribing puberty blockers following the publication of the Cass Review. In the study, pediatrician Dr. Hilary Cass found that there was not enough evidence to prove that the drugs helped children who were diagnosed with gender dysphoria or gender incongruence. Cass advocated for a holistic care model to address gender identity issues.

The U.K. High Court in July upheld the initial temporary ban and lawmakers in August extended the order to the end of the year. The government also expanded the order to cover Northern Ireland where transgender activists had planned to have the drugs delivered and then relayed to children in England and Wales. The order also prevents physicians in Europe from prescribing the drugs to children in the U.K.

What happens now? Minors in the U.K. who are already taking the medication for gender dysphoria will continue to have access to their prescription. Children who need the drugs to treat medical conditions not related to sexual identity will also still have access. Meanwhile, the government will set up a clinical trial next year to study the use of puberty blockers, Health Secretary Streeting said. He also said that more regional mental health centers were being established to offer support for children experiencing gender identity issues.

Dig deeper: Read Josh Schumacher’s report in The Sift about the U.S. Supreme Court hearing over a Tennessee law to protect children from transgender medical interventions.