The United Kingdom is set to permanently ban puberty blockers for anyone under the age of 18 at the request of the nation's health secretary, Wes Streeting. Puberty blockers are drugs that delay and prevent puberty, and they have come under scrutiny due to concerns about the safety of these sex change treatments, particularly for adolescents. The previous Conservative administration implemented a temporary ban on the drugs. Streeting announced Monday that the ban would be permanent.
The health secretary said the Cass Review published earlier this year had identified instances in which minors were prescribed puberty blockers after simply completing an online form and having just one online consultation with a healthcare provider, the BBC reported. According to Streeting, the manner in which puberty blockers were administered to children with gender dysphoria was a "scandal." The health secretary said he came to the conclusion to implement a permanent ban after receiving guidance from the Commission on Human Medicines. The group of experts described puberty blockers as an "unacceptable safety risk."
While announcing the permanent ban, Streeting said: "It is a scandal that medicine was given to vulnerable children without the proof that it was safe or effective." The ban would be reviewed again in 2027, he said.
The Cass Review, led by Dr. Hilary Cass, found that giving puberty blockers to adolescents suffering from gender dysphoria was harmful and should not be used to treat gender dysphoria. Streeting said that minors who had already been taking puberty blockers could continue taking them.
The health secretary said the Cass Review published earlier this year had identified instances in which minors were prescribed puberty blockers after simply completing an online form and having just one online consultation with a healthcare provider, the BBC reported. According to Streeting, the manner in which puberty blockers were administered to children with gender dysphoria was a "scandal." The health secretary said he came to the conclusion to implement a permanent ban after receiving guidance from the Commission on Human Medicines. The group of experts described puberty blockers as an "unacceptable safety risk."
While announcing the permanent ban, Streeting said: "It is a scandal that medicine was given to vulnerable children without the proof that it was safe or effective." The ban would be reviewed again in 2027, he said.
The Cass Review, led by Dr. Hilary Cass, found that giving puberty blockers to adolescents suffering from gender dysphoria was harmful and should not be used to treat gender dysphoria. Streeting said that minors who had already been taking puberty blockers could continue taking them.
Other areas in the UK, such as Northern Ireland and Scotland, have joined England and Wales in banning puberty blockers for children.
