Doctors’ Union Calls for Reversal of Ban on Prescribing Puberty Blockers for Children

Trans rights activists take part in a protest against the ban on hormone blockers in London, on April 20, 2024. Carl Court/Getty Images

The British Medical Association (BMA) has called for the NHS to pause the implementation of the Cass Report and reinstate the use of puberty blockers for children.

On Wednesday, the BMA said it will undertake an evaluation of the Cass Review, the independent landmark report published earlier this year which criticised the NHS for rushing children onto inappropriate paths of medical treatment.

The union said patients “should continue to receive specialist healthcare, regardless of their age.”

Puberty Blockers

Dr. Hilary Cass made 32 recommendations in total, finding that evidence for so-called “gender care”—which includes health care professionals simply affirming a child’s chosen gender and allowing young children to take puberty blockers—is “remarkably weak.”

Following concerns from many politicians, teachers, and campaigners about the damage being done in allowing children to “socially transition,” Dr. Cass found that those who were allowed to change their names and pronouns at an earlier age or before being seen in clinic “were more likely to proceed to a medical pathway.”

But she found “no clear evidence” that allowing such a transition has any positive or negative mental health outcomes.

The new strategy for children experiencing gender confusion is to provide a more “holistic” approach to their treatment.

An emergency ban on puberty blockers was introduced by the Conservatives and recently upheld by the High Court.

However, the BMA has been critical of the ban.

Total BMA membership currently stands at 190,366 UK doctors and medical students.

The union called for a pause to the implementation of the Cass Review’s recommendations whilst a “task force” will “pay particular attention to the methodology used.”

BMA’s Chair of Council Professor Philip Banfield: “It is time that we truly listen to this group of important, valued, and unfortunately often victimised people and, together, build a system in which they are finally provided with the care they deserve.”

Full Confidence

NHS England has rejected the BMA’s proposals, saying it has “full confidence” in the Cass Review.

An NHS spokesperson said: “Dr. Cass spent four years gathering evidence for the most comprehensive report of its kind, and her expertise and advice has been invaluable in supporting the NHS to create a fundamentally better and safer service for children and young people.

“NHS England has full confidence in her report and we are committed to taking forward its recommendations.

“We will shortly be publishing our plan to implement the report’s recommendations and findings, which includes setting out scope for further research, so children and young people can receive the best possible care.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “The Cass Review is a robust report backed by clinicians and firmly grounded in evidence. NHS England will be implementing Dr. Cass’s recommendations so that children and young people get the safe, holistic care and support they need.

“We do not support a delay to vital improvements from the NHS to gender services.”

PA Media and Rachel Roberts contributed to this report.