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England\u2019s National Health Service (NHS) announced that it is pausing its distribution of puberty blockers for minors.<\/p>\n
\u201cNHS England has carefully considered the evidence review conducted by NICE (2020) and has identified and reviewed any further published evidence available to date,\u201d a report<\/a> states. \u201cWe have concluded that there is not enough evidence to support the safety or clinical effectiveness of PSH to make the treatment routinely available at this time.\u201d<\/p>\n The withdrawal of puberty blockers comes as an investigation revealed that the drugs are effective treatments for gender dysphoria.<\/p>\n \u201cIn January 2020, a Policy Working Group (PWG) was established by NHS England to undertake a review of the published evidence. As part of this process, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) was commissioned to review the published evidence on Gonadotrophin Releasing Hormone Analogues (GnRHa). Nine observational studies were included in the evidence review (NICE 2020),\u201d the report explains. \u201cOverall, there was no statistically significant difference in gender dysphoria, mental health, body image and psychosocial functioning in children and adolescents treated with GnRHa (2020). The quality of evidence for all these outcomes was assessed as very low certainty using modified GRADE. There remains limited short-term and long-term safety data for GnRHa.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe have always been clear that children\u2019s safety and wellbeing is paramount, so we welcome this landmark decision by the NHS,\u201d Health Minister Maria Caulfield said<\/a>. \u201cEnding the routine prescription of puberty blockers will help ensure that care is based on evidence, expert clinical opinion and is in the best interests of the child.\u201d<\/p>\n LGBT organizations criticized the NHS announcement.<\/p>\n \u201cAll trans young people deserve access to high quality, timely healthcare,\u201d a Stonewall spokesperson said, according to Yahoo News U.K.<\/a> \u201cFor some, an important part of this care comes in the form of puberty blockers, a reversible treatment that delays the onset of puberty, prescribed by expert endocrinologists, giving the young person extra time to evaluate their next steps.\u201d<\/p>\n