Proposed changes to the availability of puberty blockers for under 18s
Proposal to make a permanent order to prevent new patients aged under 18 from beginning to take puberty blockers for the purposes of gender incongruence and/or gender dysphoria, under the care of private prescribers.
This consultation ran for 7 weeks and was sent to representative groups of those likely to be affected by a potential order. This includes the royal colleges, professional bodies, regulators, academics and voluntary, community and social enterprises representing patients, prescribers, pharmacists and others.
On behalf of the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and the Minister of Health for Northern Ireland, the department consulted with representative groups and the independent Commission on Human Medicines for their expert view, in line with legislative requirements. This consultation also builds on the extensive consultation undertaken for the Cass Review and previous NHS England consultations. As such the questions focus on the impact of the proposed permanent order, and the benefits and risks of making such an order permanent.
The limited impact assessment published with the Medicines (Gonadotrophin-Releasing Hormone Analogues) (Emergency Prohibition) (Extension) (No.2) Order 2024 was shared as part of the targeted consultation. This emergency order came into force on 27 November 2024 and will expire on 31 December 2024.
A Welsh language version of the consultation document is available on request from prescribingpolicy@dhsc.gov.uk.