Puberty blockers for under-18s with gender dysphoria will be banned indefinitely in the UK, the Department of Health and Social Care has announced.
Making the announcement in the House of Commons Wes Streeting said “Evidence should have been established before they were ever prescribed for this purpose… it is a scandal”
The ban will come into place in January 2025
Addressing young trans people Streeting added
‘I know it won’t feel like it based on the decisions I’m taking today, but I really do care about this’
The ban which will be reviewed in 2027 follows a targeted consultation and advice on patient safety from the independent Commission on Human Medicines and Cass Review
The NHS stopped the routine prescription of puberty blocker treatments to under 18s in March 2024, following the Cass Review into gender identity services.
Puberty blockers for the treatment of gender incongruence and/or gender dysphoria in under 18s were banned temporarily in May 2024 after the Cass Review found there was insufficient evidence to show they were safe.
Legislation will be updated today to make the order indefinite and will be reviewed in 2027.
