The British Medical Association (BMA) has called for the ban on puberty blockers for under-18s to be lifted.
The doctors’ union also wants a pause on the implementation of a landmark review into gender care for children and young people.
It said it wanted to undertake an evaluation of the Cass Review after academics expressed concern about its approach.
The review, commissioned by NHS England, called for a move away from medical interventions for children struggling with their gender identity and advocated a more holistic model incorporating better mental health support.
The review was led by leading paediatrician Dr Hilary Cass and prompted the last government to ban the use of puberty blockers for under-18s questioning their gender – a move which was then supported by Labour when they won the election.
These drugs suppress the natural production of hormones and delay the onset of puberty.
The ban applied to private clinics, because the NHS had already stopped using them outside of clinical trials, and was challenged in the High Court by campaign group TransActual.
The BMA said members of its Council, its top decision-making body, voted in favour of a motion last month that was critical of the Cass Review and called on the union to "publicly critique" it.
The BMA said it was concerned about its impact on transgender healthcare provision because of its "unsubstantiated recommendations".
Source: BBC News, 1 August 2024
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