The National Health Service (NHS) in England has recently implemented restrictions on gender treatments for children, becoming the fifth European country to do so. This decision was prompted by a four-year review conducted by Dr. Hilary Cass, an independent pediatrician, which concluded that a medical pathway may not always be the best way to manage gender-related distress in young people. The NHS will no longer offer drugs that block puberty, except for patients enrolled in clinical research, and has recommended caution when prescribing hormones like testosterone and estrogen to minors.
This move by the NHS is part of a broader trend in northern Europe where health officials have been concerned about the increasing demand for adolescent gender treatments in recent years. Countries like Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark have also imposed restrictions on such treatments, recommending psychotherapy as the primary treatment for adolescents with gender dysphoria or limiting hormone treatments to exceptional cases. These changes have been met with criticism from transgender advocacy groups who argue that they infringe on civil rights and exacerbate challenges within overstretched health systems.
The United States has also seen a backlash against youth gender medicine, with laws passed in 22 states banning gender treatments for adolescents and threatening doctors with prison time or investigating parents for child abuse. However, European countries are taking a different approach by allowing gender treatments for certain adolescents and requiring new clinical trials to better understand their effects. The European Academy of Pediatrics has acknowledged concerns about the effectiveness of biomedical treatments for gender dysphoria, highlighting the need for more research.
Europe was a pioneer in using gender treatments for young people, with clinics in countries like the Netherlands beginning to administer puberty-suppressing drugs to adolescents in the 1990s. However, the surge in referrals to these clinics in recent years and the changing demographics of the patients seeking treatment have raised questions about the relevance of the original Dutch study that influenced the widespread adoption of these treatments. Many clinicians are now calling for more rigorous research to assess the effectiveness and long-term impact of gender treatments on adolescents.
In England, concerns about the surge in patients led to a review of gender treatments by the NHS, which concluded that the standard of care was inadequate, with long waiting lists and insufficient support for mental health issues contributing to gender distress. The NHS closed its sole youth gender clinic and opened two new clinics with a more holistic approach, providing support for patients with conditions like autism, depression, and eating disorders, as well as psychotherapy to help adolescents explore their identities. Critics have pointed out that the backlash against transgender people in both Europe and the United States may have influenced the recent restrictions on gender treatments for children.
European countries like Hungary, Russia, and France have also seen attacks on transgender rights and healthcare, with laws passed banning gender identity changes, gender-related medical care, and prescriptions of puberty blockers and hormones. These developments reflect a growing trend of backlash against transgender people and their access to appropriate healthcare and legal recognition. Overall, the debate over gender treatments for children in Europe and the United States is ongoing, with a focus on the need for more evidence-based research and holistic approaches to support young people exploring their gender identities.
