UK: Truss Leads Campaign to End NHS Puberty Blocker Loophole

Image copyright: Information Rights Unit via Wikimedia Commons

The Facts

  • Despite the government banning puberty blockers for minors last month, a loophole in the law still allows the National Health Service (NHS) England to prescribe them to children under "exceptional circumstances."

  • The ban on puberty blockers, which block the production of hormones that cause puberty and are mostly used by children who want to change genders, came after the NHS found "not enough evidence" of their safety and efficacy.


The Spin

Right narrative

Society has been brainwashed into thinking puberty blockers are a safe and mainstream treatment because the data on risks has been hidden. But many of those who resort to puberty blockers end up regretting it. More must be done to prevent vulnerable children from being pushed into these treatments by radical ideologues — transgenderism is a political movement with serious medical consequences.

Left narrative

Puberty blocking is a far more nuanced matter than its opponents want to admit. These drugs have been safely prescribed for other medical issues for decades, and they've also been used to improve the mental health of transgender children, including in dire circumstances. While we still need more robust studies on the matter, that doesn't mean that puberty blockers should be banned for every child suffering from gender dysphoria.


Political split

LEFT

RIGHT

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