The Government is intent on “moving away” from medical interventions for transgender young people, a minister has suggested.

The Health Department’s minister of state for secondary care, Karin Smyth, said during a Tuesday (13 January) Commons debate, the Government has supported plans to move away from the “medical intervention model” when providing care for trans and non-binary young people.

Instead, it planned on moving towards a “holistic approach” to treatment based on evidence provided by the Cass Review – a controversial independent analysis into health care for trans youngsters in the UK.

“The Government supports moving away from the medical intervention model towards a holistic approach to care based on the evidence,” she said. “That is the model with which we are progressing.”

Health secretary Wes Streeting indefinitely extended a ban on puberty blocker prescriptions, originally brought by the former Tory government, just days after Labour won the 2024 General Election.

The Government will decide whether to permanently implement the ban, which blocks access to medically-approved and often life-saving hormone suppressants, depending on the results of an NHS-backed trial into the effects of the treatment.

Labour backbencher Nadia Whittome criticised the Government’s approach to trans treatment during the Commons debate, noting that puberty blockers are still freely prescribed to cisgender young people for issues such as precocious puberty.

“Even Dr Cass herself acknowledge that puberty blockers are effective for some young trans people and recommended against a blanket ban,” she said.

Responding, Smyth said the Health Department is “investing much more than anyone else has indicated that they would in support for all services” for young people more broadly.

Tory MP concerned young people will be subjected to ‘sexually explicit’ questions under NHS puberty blockers trial

Conservative minister Gregory Stafford expressed significant concern that young people participating in the NHS PATHWAYS trial would be subjected to “sexually explicit questions”.

As part of the trial, which is currently the only way to publicly access puberty blockers in the UK, hundreds of under-16s will undergo over 13 hours of medical assessments, including a romantic relationships questionnaire from the Avon longitudinal study of parents and carers.

The World Professional Associations for Transgender Health (WPATH), alongside its European (EPATH) and US (USPATH) counterparts, expressed concerns that the trial potentially violates ethical standards on voluntary informed consent.

Smyth told the Farnham and Bordon MP the Government was focused on ensuring the trial follows “clear ethical and clinical guidelines”.

The Secretary of State similarly addressed concerns that the trial would be the only research used in policymaking, clarifying that it would “use all evidence that is available, both in this country and in others”.

Several peer-reviewed studies from the US, Canada, and Australia, have concluded that puberty blockers are effective, safe, and, above all else, potentially life-saving.

Research set to be published in the Journal of Paediatric’s February volume states that trans adolescents on medically-approved and appropriate hormone therapy show “meaningful reductions” in depression, anxiety, and suicidality.

Another paper published in 2024 found that regret rates for gender-affirming care are very low. Fewer people regret starting hormone therapy than those who have knee surgery or give birth, it found.

PinkNews has contacted the Department of Health and Social Care for comment.

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