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Health Secretary Wes Streeting has dismissed demands to halt a clinical trial involving puberty blocking medications for children experiencing gender questioning. Although he implemented a permanent ban last year on prescribing puberty blockers to individuals under 18, he explained to MPs that he authorized the trial on the advice of the Cass Review into children’s gender care, believing it to be the “right thing to do.” Despite expressing personal unease about administering these drugs to young people, Streeting emphasized his responsibility to adhere to expert clinical guidance.
During parliamentary discussions, Conservative shadow health minister Dr Caroline Johnson, who has firsthand experience working with children dealing with gender dysphoria, questioned why the government was supporting what she described as experiments on “physically healthy children.” She highlighted Streeting’s previously stated discomfort with the use of puberty blockers in this demographic. Streeting responded by acknowledging his apprehensions but stressed that his decisions were grounded in clinical advice. He remarked, “Am I uncomfortable about puberty-suppressing hormones for this group of young people, for these particular conditions? Yes, I am, because of risks.” He further noted that his earlier decision to ban these drugs permanently stemmed from hearing directly from children and their parents who conveyed that such measures were causing harm.
Puberty blockers are medications designed to delay or halt the onset of puberty. Currently, they are not prescribed via the NHS for gender dysphoria in children outside of clinical trials, a position supported by the devolved governments in the UK. The Cass Review criticized existing research regarding the benefits of these drugs for young people with gender dysphoria as lacking strong evidence, which led to the recommendation for a new clinical trial. The PATHWAYS trial, expected to commence in January, will involve children attending gender clinics in England. According to the research team, participants’ physical and mental health will be carefully monitored throughout the trial, with a rigorous consent process involving both the children and their parents. Monitoring will also include bone density and brain development.
Opposition to the trial centers on concerns about its potential effects on brain growth, fertility, bone health, and the capacity of children to fully consent. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has joined calls to stop the trial, which plans to involve approximately 226 participants aged 10 to nearly 16 years old. Dr Caroline Johnson criticized the trial strongly, describing it as “Streeting’s trial” and accusing the government of subjecting children to “risky medications.” In response, Labour MP Preet Kaur Gill, with a background in children’s services, urged the Health Secretary to engage with clinicians and academics worried that valid safeguarding concerns might be overlooked. Streeting expressed his willingness to consider input and evidence from healthcare professionals, including those critical of the trial. Other Labour MPs emphasized the importance of addressing the healthcare needs of young trans people, with MP Danny Beales asserting that as some young individuals turn to unregulated sources for such drugs, conducting a proper clinical trial represents “the best and safest way of managing any potential risks.”
Streeting later acknowledged in committee that deciding to proceed with the trial is a daily struggle for him, reiterating that no child will be allowed to participate without parental consent. He also noted the deep love parents have for their trans children, which has been a recurring theme in the feedback he has received from families and young people alike
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