The National Health Service England announced Tuesday it will not routinely prescribe puberty blockers for children and young people experiencing gender dysphoria.
The decision posted online referenced research collected by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in 2020 that raised concerns of uncertainty in the treatment’s efficacy and potential side effects.
“We have concluded that there is not enough evidence to support the safety or clinical effectiveness of (puberty suppressing hormones) to make the treatment routinely available at this time,” the publication by NHS England stated.
Fewer than 100 kids and teens in England are on puberty blockers, they will be allowed to continue their treatment, and some youth may still be able to access the treatment as part of a clinical trial, the BBC reported.
In the US:Gender-affirming care is life-saving, research says. Why is it so controversial?
Government supports NHS move, LGBTQ activist want more research
U.K. Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Victoria Atkins was supportive of the NHS England move.
“Care that affects our children’s health and wellbeing so profoundly must always be based on clinical evidence,” she wrote on X. “I welcome NHS England’s decision today to end the routine prescription of puberty blockers to children.”
LGBTQ+ activist organization Stonewall echoed Atkins’ sentiment that research is important for trans people, but raised further concerns.
“Ultimately what matters is that trans and gender diverse young people have the best possible care, and we welcome any research that will lead to that outcome,” Stonewall posted on X. “However, we are concerned that NHS England will be putting new prescriptions on hold until a research protocol is up and running.”
Stonewall also said there are 8,000 young people who have been waiting for years to be referred to hormone care. NHS England did not immediately respond to USA TODAY’s request for confirmation.
What are puberty blockers?
Puberty blockers stop the body’s natural puberty process to give young people who want to explore their gender identity more time.
Puberty causes irreversible changes in the body, but puberty blockers are temporary and reversible.
Hormone therapy can later include testosterone or estrogen.
Legislation looking to restrict gender affirming care for minors, including puberty blockers, has swept across the U.S. in recent years. But research from LGBTQ organizations shows it can lower the odds of depression and suicide for trans an nonbinary youth.
Contributing: David Oliver
First appeared on www.usatoday.com