April 18 ( UPI )– Scotland’s only gender clinic has paused hormone treatment for patients younger than 18 following a landmark review of the treatment.
On Thursday, the Glasgow-based Sandyford office announced that it had stopped prescribing hormones for toddlers until they turned 18 and that it had stopped prescribing puberty blockers and other hormones.
For any fresh patients whose identity status has been determined by our young woman’s female company, referrals from the Sandyford sexual health services to pediatric physiology for the dosage of adolescence suppressing hormones have been paused. “
The clinic claimed that patients who are currently receiving treatment wo n’t be impacted by the pause.
The decision comes after a review by a cardiologist was published. The National Health Service of England apparently commissioned Hillary Cass, which found “weak information” for the efficacy of administering hormone to adolescents who question their identity.
The statement said young people have been “let along” by the” poisoning” of the controversy surrounding their attention.
NHS England announced in March that it would prevent prescribing puberty filters. Following that determination, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde stopped accepting new patients for the care.
Sandyford has been attacked in recent days for failing to implement the ban right away.
” The conclusions informing the Cass evaluation are important, and we have reviewed the effect on our scientific channels,” said Dr. Emilia Crighton, NHSGCC director of public health. Working with intellectual partners and the British government to produce evidence that will enable us to provide our patients with safe care is the next step. “
The choice to halt care had “harm transgender children and young people,” according to Vic Valentine, director of the advocacy group Scottish Trans. “
The truth of trans people’s lives and experiences is frequently questioned in some social circles and the media, according to a declaration from Scottish Trans.
We worry that the decision was made in that environment rather than solely by taking into account the best interests of transgender children and young people. “
People of LGBT Youth Scotland even protested the determination, urging Sandyford to evaluate.
” Being transgender, specially in such a negative political environment, can have serious negative effects on one’s mental health and accessing gender affirming care is and has saved life,” the team said in a speech.
Members of parliament will provide an update on the president’s place “in the coming days,” according to First Minister of Scotland Humza Yousaf. “
He said,” There is a process of review that is very much in progress.”
Yousaf earlier this week said British heath boards may provide the “utmost consideration” to the Cass report, adding,” When it comes to the prescribing of medicine, clinicians are ideal placed– no politicians, government ministers or myself as second minister. “
Meghan Gallacher, the deputy chief of the Scottish Conservatives, called the pause “long late.” “
” This careless approach to sex treatment is beyond me. They are failing children and young people,” she said.
Puberty blockers inhibit the hormones that lead to menstruation, and they are frequently prescribed to children who wonder if they belong to a gender difference.
1,100 people were on the waiting roster for puberty blockers at the end of 2023, according to data obtained by BBC Scotland News under a freedom of information demand.
Between 2016 and 2023, Sandyford referred 71 individuals under the age of 18 to adolescence blocker treatments.
Following the delay, 43 people in Scotland may continue to receive either puberty blockers or “gender affirming” hormone, such as testosterone or estrogen.
