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Kids Stay on Blockers Despite UK Ban?
22 Nov
Summary
- Children in a new trial may continue puberty blockers post-study.
- A UK ban prevents under-18s from accessing these drugs.
- Researchers aim to assess drug impacts on brain development.
A new clinical trial is underway at King's College London, investigating the effects of puberty blockers on children experiencing gender dysphoria. Researchers anticipate that some young participants may continue receiving these medications beyond the trial's conclusion, provided it is deemed clinically appropriate. This comes even as the UK has a ban in place for prescribing these drugs to individuals under 18 for this specific condition.
The study, expected to recruit 226 young people, aims to gather crucial data over approximately four years. A secondary analysis will specifically examine potential impacts of the blockers on brain development using scans. The Pathways research program, which includes this trial, is designed to inform how the National Health Service can better support children accessing gender services.
Enrollment criteria require participants to have entered puberty, have a persistent diagnosis of gender incongruence for over two years, and have parental consent. The youngest eligible patients will be around 10 to 12 years old, with a maximum consent age of under 16. The trial involves comparing two groups: one receiving blockers for two years, and another starting after a one-year delay.
