Wes Streeting has faced pressure from MPs over his “discriminatory” ban on puberty blockers for children with gender dysphoria, as one argued it will be used as an “attack” on young trans people.
Labour MPs hit out at the policy, with Kate Osborne stating she is “hugely disappointed” with the ban because it “removes the clinical expertise from medical decision making”.
Meanwhile, Rachel Taylor raised the case of a school child in her constituency who has developed anorexia in order to stop their period and stop their breasts growing.
During his statement, the Health Secretary said he understands people will be disappointed by the announcement, but he is listening to “clinicians, not politicians”.
In the Commons on Wednesday, Ms Taylor urged the Government and MPs to “take this issue seriously and work together, rather than make this into a culture war”.
The MP for North Warwickshire and Bedworth added: “I know that one of my constituents will be upset, but will reflect with his mum who has been supporting him. He was referred by his GP when he was in year eight for gender dysphoria, he has still not been seen by a specialist and he’s now in his first year doing his A-levels.
“He’s had to endure going through periods, suffering at school with the embarrassment of that. He decided to stop eating and was then diagnosed with anorexia, because that was the only way that he felt he could stop his periods and stop his breasts growing.
“These are the kinds of things that trans young people go through day in, day out. Three-and-a-half years later, it’s not good enough that he has still not been seen by a medical professional.”
Mr Streeting said the length of waits is “unacceptable and unjustifiable”.
He added: “Those of us who have access to the microphone or pulpit need to think very carefully about the way in which we talk about this particular group of children and young people, and trans people more generally.”
Green Party MP Sian Berry (Brighton Pavilion) said she was “extremely worried and fearful” about the decision to continue the blanket ban, adding: “Does he understand that this is at heart discriminatory?”
Mr Streeting replied: “There are a whole range of medicines, that are proscribed for a whole range of uses, among a whole range of patient cohorts that may well be unsafe or inappropriate or ineffective for use for other patients with other conditions. That is a basic fact of medicine.
“If I may say so, her intervention is why we should listen to clinicians, not politicians.”
Alex Sobel, Labour MP for Leeds Central and Headingley, said: “Can he assure me that this will be for all under-18s and this is not just for those with gender dysphoria? Otherwise, and he well knows this, that this will be used as an attack on trans young people.”
Mr Streeting replied: “This order relates to the use of puberty blockers for this particular group of patients, for this particular purpose where the evidence base is not sound, and where the Commission on Human Medicines described the current proscribing environment as representing an unacceptable safety risk.
“Puberty blockers are safe and proven for use amongst children and young people for other conditions, including precocious puberty.”
MP for Jarrow and Gateshead East, Ms Osborne said: “These restrictions on puberty blockers removes the clinical expertise from medical decision making, and significantly impacts young trans people and their families, and I’m hugely disappointed to hear the contents of this statement today.”
Mr Streeting replied: “I have to take decisions about the welfare, wellbeing and safety of children in this country based on clinical evidence.
“I know there will be people who will be deeply disappointed by this decision, they will include many trans people and their families.”
Labour MP Nadia Whittome (Nottingham East) said: “I share the deep disappointment that many young trans people and their families will feel about the Health Secretary’s decision today, I know that many will be devastated by this news.
“Too many young trans people are already in or at high risk of mental health crisis, what consideration has the Secretary of State given to the impact of this decision on their mental health?”
Mr Streeting replied that he had given “very heavy consideration” to this. He also pointed to Louis Appleby’s findings that data does not support the claim that there has been a large number of suicides following restrictions on puberty blockers.
Labour MP Peter Swallow asked that “nobody currently receiving treatment from puberty blockers, however they may have accessed those in the past, will face a discontinuity in their care”.
Mr Streeting replied: “Any young person in Great Britain and Northern Ireland who had a valid prescription for these medicines in the six months prior to 3rd of June and 27th of August respectively, can seek continuation of their prescription from a UK-registered clinician.”
Labour MP Stella Creasy pressed the Government on when the review will begin and when the data will be published, adding: “If time is of the essence, and puberty is the matter, we need to give these young people a route map forward.”
Mr Streeting said he shares the MP for Walthamstow’s urgency, but added: “The worst thing I could do at this stage, especially when NIHR (National Institute for Health and Care Research) and NHS England are working at pace to establish a trial, would be to interfere politically on what must be an independent approach.”
