AN NHS youth gender clinic lowered the age it offers puberty blockers – despite claims they could increase the risk of suicide and self-harm, it’s reported. The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, which has clinics in London and Leeds, gives the hormone-blocking drugs to children as young as 11. Preliminary data, from the Gender […]
AN NHS youth gender clinic lowered the age it offers puberty blockers – despite claims they could increase the risk of suicide and self-harm, it’s reported.
The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, which has clinics in London and Leeds, gives the hormone-blocking drugs to children as young as 11.
Preliminary data, from the Gender Identity Development Service (Gids), found that some people taking the drugs reported an increase in suicidal thoughts or self-harm.
However, the clinic said the data was from a “small sample” and so no “meaningful conclusion” could be drawn from it.
Experts on clinical trials have criticised the design of the study, which they say makes it hard to tell if the reported effects were due to puberty blockers.
The Health Research Authority, which ensures medical studies are ethical and transparent, are now investigating the research after claims were brought to them by the BBC.
They raised concerns over early findings from the study and the information that is understood to have been shared with patients and parents about possible effects of the drugs.
Puberty blockers work on the brain to stop the eventual release of sex hormones oestrogen or testosterone – which increase during puberty.
They prevent the development of sex characteristics, including periods, breasts or voice-breaking.
Up until 2011, the hormones were only given to children once they turned 16.
But a medical study was then approved through which young children could access the drugs.
Acknowledging the weak evidence for the drugs, the research team set out to “evaluate the psychological, social and physical effects” of the blockers on a carefully selected group of young people.
Preliminary data for 30 of the 44 young people on the 2015 study showed that after a year on puberty blockers, there was a significant increase found in those answering the statement “I deliberately try to hurt or kill myself”.
Details about some of the risks, including potential adverse effects on bone strength, the development of sexual organs, body shape or final adult height, were provided in a patient information sheet.
However, BBC Newsnight claims it found that certain information had been left out.
Michael Biggs, associate professor of sociology at Oxford University, told the broadcaster: “I don’t see that the parents and their children could really have given informed consent given the lack of information that was provided.
Prof Biggs, who has attracted criticism from some in the transgender community for his views, added: “They were not given the information they needed in order to take this momentous life-changing step.”
Gids, together with lead investigator Prof Russell Viner, said: “We are confident that informed consent was obtained.”
Dr Viner told the broadcaster that the “possibility that blocking puberty may crystallise gender identity” had been raised with the patients and parents.
Gids told Newsnight: “All patients were seen regularly by mental health professionals.
“They concluded that there was no evidence of harms that could be directly attributed to the treatment and that continuation of the study was appropriate.”
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