UK bans puberty blockers for under-18s with gender dysphoria

The UK government will indefinitely ban prescriptions of puberty blockers for children in cases of gender dysphoria, the condition characterised by distress over the incongruence between one’s gender identity and birth-assigned sex.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting told the House of Commons on Wednesday that he had taken the decision after considering recommendations by the Commission on Human Medicines, which advises ministers on the safety of medical products.

A review by Dr Hilary Cass had found that the long-term benefits for treating gender-related distress were unproven.

“After thoroughly examining all the available evidence, they have concluded that prescribing puberty blockers to children for the purposes of gender dysphoria in the current prescribing environment represents, and I quote, ‘an unacceptable safety risk’,” Streeting said.

“Of particular concern to the commission was whether these children and their families were provided with enough time and information to give their full and informed consent.”

“On the basis of their findings, I am acting on the commission’s advice to put an indefinite order in place to restrict the sale or supply of puberty blockers through a prescription issued by either a private UK prescriber or a prescriber registered outside the UK for under-18s,” he said.