Report that Labour is considering extending the ban on puberty blockers ban to cover private hormone prescriptions could create a “lost generation” of trans people, an expert has warned.

Clinical psychologist and director of Gender Plus, Dr Aidan Kelly, warned that a ban on private hormone prescriptions could have “harmful” effects on an entire generation of trans young people.

The government is reportedly considering extending its ban on puberty blockers to block access to private prescriptions of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) according to testimony heard by the High Court on Thursday (22 May).

Lawyers representing the Department of Health said an expert panel had been created to analyse the use and effects of HRT for trans people, which is set to be published in July.

Prescriptions for physically reversible puberty blockers, which have been deemed “life-saving” by several major medical organisations, are currently banned in the UK over a purported “unacceptable safety risk”. The only way to access them is through NHS-commissioned clinical trials.

Speaking to PinkNews, Dr Aidan Kelly says the lack of transparency over the panel’s creation has caused concerns it could turn into a “kangaroo court” that ignores expert guidance in favour of a “predetermined” outcome.

“The fact that the review is happening isn’t a surprise,” he says. “I think the bit that’s even more concerning is the fact that there’s already an expert working group pulled together that’s already working on this.”

Private trans clinics weren’t consulted about expert panel, Dr Kelly says

The announcement that a working group has already been created came as a shock to Dr Kelly and staff at Gender Plus, a private trans healthcare and education service in the UK.

He says that neither NHS England or the Government had contacted Gender Plus or any private trans healthcare service in the British Association for Gender Identity Specialists (BAGIS) about the planned consultation, despite it directly affecting them.

“We had no idea, no notice of this apparent expert group meeting and being formed,” he says. “It begs the question of who these experts are and what their expertise is.

“These people may well have nice, professional-sounding titles, but when it comes to the substance of their expertise in the area of trans healthcare, you might find they’re very much lacking.”

Health secretary Wes Streeting extended the puberty blockers ban indefinitely in 2024 following the publication of the controversial Cass Review, which made upwards of 32 recommendations to restructure trans youth care in England.

In April, Streeting claimed he was “genuinely sorry” for the “fear and anxiety” the ban had caused, just weeks before saying he believes Labour should have the “humility” to say trans women are not women and trans men are not men.

Currently, Dr Kelly says BAGIS officials are prioritising trying to understand “what’s going on” with the expert panel’s review, adding that the lack of knowledge as to its implications to be “really concerning.”

“It’s worrying that there’s no knowledge within the different [Non-government organisations (NGOs)] that exist to support trans young people. It begs the question, well, have they even been consulted or involved in the process at all?”

Gender Plus regularly works with 16 and 17-year-olds trying to access healthcare in the UK, either through private prescriptions or expert advice. Dr Kelly, who is at the forefront of the organisation’s work, says that the possibility of a private HRT ban for trans under-18s could have severe implications for their wellbeing.

Several patients have already begun contacting Gender Plus over fears their treatment could be stopped, with Dr Kelly saying: “We’ve had a flurry of emails today. There’s a lot of worry and a lot of distrust of this Labour government, and this is just another thing.”

Trans youth resorting to ‘DIY’ methods of accessing HRT

The result of shutting down these pathways, he says, could be a “lost generation” of young people who are forced to access hormones through DIY HRT – the act of buying hormones, typically online, with no medical oversight.

“[Trans youth resorting to DIY] is something that we’re seeing more and more of lately, and, certainly at Gender Plus, we never used to see that for under-18s. In the last six to nine months we’ve seen much more of that.”

A mixture of refusing to listen to experts in trans healthcare whilst purporting myths that puberty blockers are too “risky” to be prescribed are, Dr Kelly says, contributors to an atmosphere of mistrust among trans under-18s towards NHS England and the Government.

“I think they’re perfectly aware of what the outcome will be [with the private hormones ban], but I don’t think it’s high up on their priority list,” he says. “They seem to think that not intervening is somehow a neutral act when it’s clearly not. They never follow their logic through and say what risks [puberty blockers] may be worsening.

“I think they know that if they did contact us, they don’t want the answer that we would give them. If they genuinely want experts in the field, then [Gender Plus and BAGIS] are the experts.”

Dr Kelly said he urges the Government to contact private healthcare groups and clinical experts to see how impactful hormone treatment can be, adding that Gender Plus, which saw 287 UK referrals from trans under-18s in 2024 alone, has the data to prove it can “transform lives.”

“Of course, there are some young people who it might not be right for, but for the vast majority, it’s incredibly, incredibly helpful and allows them to live otherwise normal, fulfilling, happy lives. I’ve seen young people progress over the last 10 years, and they’re just normal young people, living their lives, going about whatever they’re doing. Working, studying, and having friends over. All the things a young person should be doing.

“[Trans healthcare] is not ruining lives. Lives haven’t been ruined. Lives have very much been helped, but unfortunately there are one or two stories that keep getting wheeled out and spoken about as if they represent the entire community.”

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