UK to stop providing puberty blockers for kids
Date
3/13/2024 6:11:34 AM
(MENAFN) In a significant development, the United Kingdom's National health Service (NHS) has announced the cessation of routine prescription of puberty-blocking drugs for children attending gender identity clinics. This decision, described as a "landmark decision" by the conservative government, follows a comprehensive four-year public consultation and investigation into the practices of the NHS' Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS) based at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust in London.
The Tavistock clinic had faced scrutiny, leading to its closure in 2022, as investigators found evidence of doctors allegedly "rushing" children, some as young as seven, into experimental and life-altering sex-change procedures. Puberty-blocking drugs, designed to halt typical physical changes during puberty, have been at the center of this controversy. In boys, these drugs restrict the growth of the penis and testicles, and hinder facial hair development, while in girls, they delay breast development and prevent menstruation. Often, individuals undergoing this treatment subsequently pursue cross-sex hormone therapy to change their gender.
Despite assertions by advocates that the effects are reversible, concerns have been raised about the long-term impacts of puberty blockers, including associations with brittle bones and malformed genitals, persisting even after treatment cessation. While a 2020 court ruling initially banned the prescription of these drugs to children under 16, the judgment was overturned the following year.
Health Minister Maria Caulfield expressed support for the "landmark decision," stating that ending the routine prescription of puberty blockers aligns with ensuring care is based on evidence, expert clinical opinion, and is in the best interests of the child. The announcement adds to the ongoing debate surrounding gender identity treatments and their implications for the well-being of young individuals, sparking discussions about the balance between medical interventions and ethical considerations in providing care to children exploring their gender identity.
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