Home / Health / NHS Wrongly Logs Hundreds of Transgender Patients with Male Illnesses as Female
NHS Wrongly Logs Hundreds of Transgender Patients with Male Illnesses as Female
12 Nov
Summary
- Over 500 transgender patients diagnosed with male-specific conditions recorded as female
- 313 cases of enlarged prostate, 41 cases of male genital disorders
- Doctors warn this could lead to missed diagnoses and life-threatening consequences
According to a recent report, the UK's National Health Service (NHS) has wrongly logged hundreds of transgender patients with male-specific medical conditions as female in their records. The data shows that in the year leading up to April 2025, at least 549 cases of transgender patients were recorded as female, even though they were diagnosed with illnesses that only biological men can get.
This includes 313 cases of an enlarged prostate, a condition known as hyperplasia, as well as 41 cases of "disorders of male genitals." Two of these were for priapism, a painful and long-lasting erection, and four were for testicular atrophy.
Doctors have expressed grave concerns over these data errors, warning that they could have life-threatening consequences. "It's preposterous and potentially dangerous," said Dr. Renee Hoenderkamp, a general practitioner. "If I have what is ostensibly a man in front of me, I'm not going to do the test for [conditions like] ovarian cancer. I'm not going to find it. They're going to die."
The NHS allows patients over 18 to self-identify as the gender of their choice without a gender recognition certificate, which has led to these inaccuracies in medical records. Experts argue that biological sex should be the primary factor recorded, as it is crucial for providing appropriate, life-saving care.
