Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health
The Government has tasked the Ministry of Health with consulting on whether there should be additional safety measures for puberty blockers, such as regulations under the Medicines Act.
On 21 November 2024 the Ministry of Health published its evidence brief and position statement on puberty blockers.
The Evidence Review found a lack of good quality evidence for the effectiveness or safety of puberty blocking treatment in young people with gender dysphoria. We do not have good evidence to say that the medicines used improve the longer-term outcomes for young people with gender-related health needs – nor that the potential longer-term risks are low.
What are puberty blockers?
Puberty blockers are medicines called gonadotrophin releasing hormone agonists.
They are known as puberty blockers when used as part of gender-affirming care to delay the start of puberty for a young person.
The same medicines are used to treat precocious (very early) puberty in children. In adults, they are used to treat endometriosis, breast and prostate cancers, polycystic ovary syndrome and other conditions.
Puberty blockers are different to gender-affirming or cross-sex hormone therapy.
In response to the Evidence Review, the Ministry of Health issued a Position Statement, to communicate expectations of prescribers and other practitioners involved in providing care for young people with gender incongruence and dysphoria.
What the Position Statement does
The Position Statement sets out that treatment should be started only by prescribers who are experienced in gender-affirming care and working as part of an interprofessional team offering a range of supports and services.
Patients and families should be fully informed of the lack of evidence for long-term effects from these medicines.
The Ministry has issued the Position Statement to:
- put additional safeguards in place to protect children and young people from any potential harm
- set out clear expectations for health practitioners
- provide a firm basis for regulatory oversight of prescribers by the Medical Council of New Zealand
- uphold the rights of children and young people not to be subjected to medical or scientific experimentation without consent and not to be subject to discrimination.
Further safety measures being considered
The Ministry is considering whether further measures need to be put in place to ensure no children or young people are unduly exposed to unknown risks.
The further measures being considered include updating clinical guidance, increased monitoring of prescriptions, and regulatory measures.
For example, a regulation made under the Medicines Act could restrict prescribing of puberty blockers in the context of gender-affirming care, without affecting prescribing for other conditions.
Purpose of consultation
The Ministry wishes to take into account all information and views before any decisions on further safety measures are made.
In particular, the Ministry seeks input from organisations that represent people who may be affected by safety measures or that may be involved in how safety measures are used in practice.
What we are asking about
We have a series of questions that ask about:
- whether additional safety measures are needed
- whether prescribing should be further restricted
- which young people with gender-related health needs should be able to receive this treatment if prescribing is further restricted
- what impacts there could be from additional safety measures.
