NHS Launches £10.7m Puberty Blocker Trial Despite Criticism Over Study Design

The trial, part of a broader gender care research initiative, will monitor children for two years but faces scrutiny for not addressing long-term impacts.

• The NHS has commissioned a £10.7m puberty blocker trial as part of the Pathways study, led by King’s College London, to evaluate gender care for children and young people.
• Participants will be monitored for two years, focusing on physical, emotional, and cognitive development, with critics arguing this timeframe is inadequate to assess long-term effects.
• The trial follows recommendations from the Cass Review, which highlighted insufficient evidence supporting puberty blockers and raised concerns about their potential risks.
• Critics, including medical experts and advocacy groups, question the ethicality of exposing children to treatments with known risks and limited research benefits.
• The study, pending ethical and regulatory approval, will include psychosocial support and aims to inform future research, though concerns remain about its design and scope.

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