Puberty blockers ban for under-18s made indefinite in the UK

The sale and supply of puberty-suppressing hormones to treat gender dysphoria will be banned indefinitely in the UK for under-18s.

The move follows independent expert advice, published by the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM), which states there is currently an ‘unacceptable safety risk in the continued prescription of puberty blockers to children’, the Government said. Puberty blockers for the treatment of gender dysphoria and gender incongruence in under-18s were banned temporarily in May 2024 after the Cass Review found there was insufficient evidence to show they were safe.

Legislation was being updated on Wednesday to make the order indefinite and it will be reviewed in 2027.

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The Cass Review, published in April 2024, was led by Hilary Cass, a retired consultant paediatrician, and dealt with gender services for children and young people, including those with gender dysphoria and those identifying as transgender in England.

The NHS stopped the routine prescription of puberty blocker treatments to under-18s following Dr Cass’ review.

Discussing the puberty blocker ban on Wednesday, Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “Children’s healthcare must always be evidence-led. The independent expert Commission on Human Medicines found that the current prescribing and care pathway for gender dysphoria and incongruence presents an unacceptable safety risk for children and young people.

“Dr Cass’ review also raised safety concerns around the lack of evidence for these medical treatments. We need to act with caution and care when it comes to this vulnerable group of young people, and follow the expert advice.

“We are working with NHS England to open new gender identity services, so people can access holistic health and wellbeing support they need. We are setting up a clinical trial into the use of puberty blockers next year, to establish a clear evidence base for the use of this medicine.”

Dr Cass, meanwhile, described puberty blockers as ‘powerful drugs with unproven benefits and significant risks’.

She added: “That is why I recommended that they should only be prescribed following a multi-disciplinary assessment and within a research protocol. I support the government’s decision to continue restrictions on the dispensing of puberty blockers for gender dysphoria outside the NHS where these essential safeguards are not being provided.”

The Government said that the banning order will continue restrictions on the dispensing of puberty blockers prescribed by private UK-registered prescribers for gender incongruence or dysphoria to under-18s not already taking them. It also prevents the sale and supply of the medicines from prescribers registered in the European Economic Area or Switzerland for any reason to those under 18.

NHS patients already receiving these medicines for gender dysphoria can continue to access them, as can patients receiving the medicines for other uses. For people whose access to puberty-suppressing hormones may have been discontinued and are not on the waiting list of children’s gender services, NHS England will offer targeted support from local mental health services in England.