NHS England has paused new referrals for masculinising or feminising hormone treatment for 16 and 17-year-olds, following a review that found insufficient evidence to support its continued use. The decision comes after the Cass review recommended “extreme caution” in providing such treatment to minors.
The NHS-commissioned review concluded that the available evidence was too weak to determine whether the treatment was beneficial or harmful for children with gender dysphoria. Patients currently receiving cross-sex hormones may continue treatment, but each case must be reviewed individually with clinicians.
NHS England has launched a 90-day consultation on plans to remove the treatment as a routine procedure for under-18s. New referrals will be paused during this period. The move follows a separate pause in a clinical trial on puberty blockers for children as young as 10, due to concerns about “long-term biological harms”.
Prof James Palmer, NHS England’s national medical director for specialised services, stated: “This review has established that the available evidence does not support the continued use of masculinising or feminising hormones to treat gender incongruence or dysphoria for young people under 18.” He added that the NHS continues to offer specialist support, including mental health services, for under-18s managing gender incongruence.
The decision has drawn mixed reactions. Tammy Hymas of TransActual called it “a profound attack on young people’s bodily autonomy”, while Helen Joyce of Sex Matters said the pause “comes too late” and should be made permanent.
