Scotland told to stop giving children puberty blockers

As an increasing number of jurisdictions overseas implement bans on the use of puberty blockers for young children, Australia's ongoing use of these treatments and the penalising of individuals who speak out against them – such as HRLA clients Dr Jillian Spencer and Billboard Chris – is a matter of concern. 

Scotland is the latest jurisdiction to put a stop to puberty blockers for minors, with the government being advised to stop the treatments until further research is conducted. The recommendation is part of a series of suggestions from a team assessing the applicability of the Cass Review for gender services in Scotland.

The final report of the Cass Review was published in April 2024, and is the culmination of a review led by paediatrician Dr Hilary Cass. The review calls for gender services for young people to align with the standards of other National Health Service (NHS) care. Among its conclusions, it notes the “remarkably weak” medical justification for treatments like puberty blockers.

Scotland’s Health Secretary Neil Gray has stated that the report's findings will be considered in efforts to reform and improve gender healthcare across Scotland. The Cass Review, although focusing on NHS England, will also impact Scottish services. Scotland’s only specialist gender clinic has made the decision to stop new patients aged 16 or 17 from receiving hormone treatments until they turn 18.

The report emphasises the need for a comprehensive assessment of each child's psychological and physical needs in their care plan.

Professor Graham Ellis, Scotland's Deputy Chief Medical Officer said:

“At the heart of this question are children and young people in distress, and our ambition must remain focused on meeting their needs with holistic, person-centred care as close to home as practical”.

“The Cass Review identified the need to ensure that gender identity services for young people are more closely aligned with other areas of clinical practice, and that responsibility for the full range of services required should extend beyond specialist services”.

Disappointingly, Australia is still lagging far behind international developments in relation to gender treatments for children and young adults, both in relation to the treatments still being provided to minors, and in relation to individuals being penalised for speaking up against these practices.

Psychiatrist and HRLA client Dr Jillian Spencer, despite decades of experience as a psychiatrist, has been stood down from her position at the Queensland Children’s Hospital on the grounds that she is a danger to trans and gender diverse children. She was directed by her employer to affirm and practise the affirmation model in treatment of her patients against her conscience.

Billboard Chris had his posts on X taken down at the direction of the Australian government after raising concerns about children being harmed by trans ideology and gender treatments.

With the help of HRLA, both Dr Spencer and Billboard Chris are challenging these decisions.