Important decision regarding gender change in England

The UK’s National Health Agency (NHS England) announced yesterday that ‘puberty blocker’ drugs, which are used for gender reassignment in children under the age of 18 and pause the physical change of puberty, can no longer be routinely prescribed.

The UK’s National Health Agency (NHS England) announced yesterday that ‘puberty blocker’ drugs, which are used for gender reassignment in children under the age of 18 and pause the physical change of puberty, can no longer be routinely prescribed. Elon Musk and JK Rowling welcomed the decision.

In its statement about the decision, NHS England stated that there was “insufficient evidence” that puberty blockers used to change gender in children under 18 were safe and clinically effective. NHS England, which also published independent reports in previous years about these drugs that pause the physical changes of puberty, said: “The reason why some people experience gender nonconformity is not fully understood, and the development of gender identity is likely to be multifactorial and affected by both biological and social factors.”

Treatment that profoundly affects children’s health should be based on clinical evidence
UK Health Minister Victoria Atkins said: “Treatment that so profoundly affects the health and wellbeing of our children must always be based on clinical evidence. “I welcome NHS England’s decision today to end the routine prescribing of puberty blockers for children.”

JK Rowling, author of the Harry Potter novels, quoted Oxford University’s Prof Carl Heneghan about the decision and said, “Given the paucity of evidence, off-label use of drugs in the treatment of gender dysphoria […] largely amounts to an unregulated live experiment on children.” shared.

Elon Musk made a statement regarding the decision: “Puberty blockers, that is, sterilization drugs, will no longer be prescribed to children in the UK due to potentially serious negative effects.”