The New Zealand government has announced it is banning puberty blockers for transgender youth as it awaits the results of a major clinical trial in the UK – which are not expected until 2031.

The announcement means that, from 19 December, any new prescriptions of hormone suppressing drugs – known as gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues – for the treatment of gender dysphoria will be halted.

However, the drugs will remain available to trans youth with existing prescriptions, and those who require them for the treatment of early-onset puberty, endometriosis and prostate cancer, or where “clinical evidence clearly demonstrates their benefit”.

On Wednesday (19 November) NZ’s health minister Simeon Brown wrote in a statement shared on X.com that the government is taking “a precautionary approach” and cited the UK’s controversial Cass Review as justification for the ban.

“When it comes to children’s health, clinical evidence must guide decisions to ensure any medicine given to young Kiwis is proven, safe and effective,” Brown wrote.

“The independent Cass Review, commissioned by the UK’s NHS, identified considerable uncertainty about the long-term safety and clinical effectiveness of hormone-suppressing treatments for gender dysphoria or incongruence. This wasn’t a political review, it was clinical.

“New Zealand’s own Ministry of Health reached the same conclusions in November 2024.

“Its evidence brief found significant limitations in the quality of evidence regarding both benefits and risks when hormone-suppressing treatments are used for the treatment of gender dysphoria or incongruence.”

Cabinet has agreed to restrict the prescribing of puberty blockers for patients seeking treatment for gender dysphoria or incongruence.

Let me explain the approach Cabinet has taken.

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