Health Secretary Victoria Atkins has unveiled plans to implement tougher regulations on the prescribing of hormones to gender-questioning children by private and online providers, citing safety and ethical concerns highlighted by the Cass Review.
Health Secretary Victoria Atkins has announced plans to tighten regulations on the prescription of hormones to gender-questioning children by private and online providers, calling the practice “morally and medically reprehensible.” This follows the findings of the Cass Review, led by Dr. Hilary Cass, which criticized the current state of NHS gender identity services for children and the use of puberty blockers and hormones without adequate evidence and regulation.
The Cass Review, released across early April 2024, expressed significant concerns over the prescribing practices at the Gender Identity Development Service at Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust. It pointed to the unethical influence of adult beliefs in children’s healthcare and the potential harms of early medical interventions. The review called for an overhaul towards more cautious and holistic care, focusing on multidisciplinary approaches and prioritizing therapeutic interventions.
In response, the NHS in England has restricted the prescription of puberty blockers outside clinical trials, with Dr. Cass advocating for more evidence-based practices. Similarly, Atkins has suggested that new legislation may be pursued to enforce stricter controls on private clinics and online providers to prevent inappropriate prescribing practices to under-16s.
The debate around transgender healthcare in the UK has been charged, with ideological tensions affecting clinical practices. Atkins criticized Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting for his earlier positions in the debate, urging for more accountability and a united political front to prioritize the well-being of vulnerable children.
Victoria Atkins emphasized the government’s priority to close regulatory loopholes and improve the standards of care for gender-questioning children, underscoring the necessity for services to adhere strictly to research-backed medical guidelines. The ongoing discussion highlights a shift towards tightening regulations and ensuring that gender identity services are based on robust evidence to safeguard children’s health in the UK.
