NHS England has carefully considered the evidence review conducted by NICE and the further published evidence available to date
In the field of paediatric gender dysphoria, NHS England has announced that it will no longer be prescribing puberty blockers, marking a dramatic change in strategy for the treatment of these youngsters. The decision was made because there is insufficient evidence to support their safety and therapeutic efficacy, making it inappropriate to prescribe them to children and adolescents going through a transition. NHS England’s announcement, welcomed by the government as a ground-breaking step forward for children’s wellbeing, comes after the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) thoroughly reviewed public comments on the proposed ban and looked through the evidence that was available.
Following the results of the consultation and Nice’s recommendations, NHS England has concluded that the current state of the evidence does not support the regular distribution of hormones that suppress puberty. These drugs, which are intended to stop the physical signs of puberty, including the growth of facial hair or breast development, will not be included in the treatment plans for persons with gender dysphoria who are younger than eighteen (18) in the upcoming community services. Puberty blockers will now only be available to clinical trial participants; details on eligibility and limitations are still to be revealed.
This conclusion is consistent with NHS England’s earlier position on puberty blockers, which was emphasized by interim guidelines that Dr. Hilary Cass published during her continuing review of gender identity services for adolescents and cautioned against their routine prescription. Dr. Cass, a former president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, was assigned this assignment in late 2020 and started reviewing these services, which are mostly offered by the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust. This investigation was spurred by criticism of its treatment strategy for gender dysphoria, which included the use of puberty blockers.
Even if there are now less than 100 people suppressing their puberty, the impending closure of the gender identity development service at Tavistock and Portman highlights the need for a more comprehensive reorganisation of these services throughout England. The next specialty centers, which will open in April at prestigious children’s hospitals like Great Ormond Street Hospital and Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, represent a change from current procedures in accordance with Dr. Cass’s advice.
Health Minister Maria Caulfield applauds NHS England’s policy, emphasizing the need for evidence-based treatment that puts children’s welfare first. However, advocacy organizations like Stonewall are concerned about the policy change, which emphasizes how crucial prompt and high-quality healthcare is for transgender adolescents. They voice concerns about the suspension of new prescriptions until late 2024, when a research protocol will be established. They support the availability of puberty blockers as a component of comprehensive treatment under the supervision of endocrinologists with specialized training.
On the other hand, Sex Matters hails NHS England’s evidence-based policymaking as a turning point in correcting the way that young gender dysphoria is addressed. Claiming the importance of NHS England’s admission that there is not enough data to back up the safety and effectiveness of puberty blockers, they refute popular myths that characterize these drugs as harmless, reversible treatments.
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