Puberty blockers trial paused over ‘gender-critical’ doctor’s advice

An NHS trial of puberty blockers was paused after a senior official, who was later removed from the trial because of his “gender critical” views, raised “concerns”, it has been claimed.

Legal activist Good Law Project revealed on Thursday 12 March that the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has temporarily suspended the upcoming PATHWAYS trial, citing concerns raised by cardiologist Professor Jacob George.

The £10m study, led by King’s College London (KCL), aims to analyze the effects of puberty-suppressing hormones, known as puberty blockers, on transgender young people.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting suspended it, citing a letter he had received expressing “new concerns” about the “welfare of children and young people”. Although the Ministry of Health announced the latter; edited some names.

The Good Law Project said in its report that the letter came from Professor George, who said the trial could cause “long-term biological harm” and suggested raising the minimum age limit to 14. A week later, Streeting suspended the trial.

Professor George’s involvement in the trial was suspended in late February after The Times reported that he had made several online posts expressing “gender critical” views.

One now-deleted X/Twitter post accused the NHS of denying what doctors described as a “fundamental biological fact” that “sex is determined at birth.” Another article praised notorious “gender critical” critic JK Rowling as a “treasure of our time.”

Wes Street urged to confirm whether letter was ‘sole basis’ for suspension of puberty blockers

According to the report, the Ministry of Health claims George was removed from involvement in the trial as a “precautionary measure”. But the Good Law Project said the decision was taken to comply with impartiality laws for policymakers and said Mr George’s comments were “clearly in breach”.

“When Streeting suspended the trial, the only source he cited was George’s letter. We now know that advice was fatally infected with prejudice,” the spokesperson said.

Activists called on the Department of Health to confirm whether the letter was the sole basis for its decision and whether Mr Streeting was aware of concerns about the professor’s views before halting the trial.

The development will bring further skepticism to the already widely criticized decision to suspend the trial indefinitely pending further review.

Last month, clinical psychologist Dr Aidan Kelly told PinkNews that the actions of the Department of Health and the NHS were not only “poorly thought out” but appeared to be a concession to the “anti-trans lobby”.

“They keep saying the safety and well-being of young people is paramount, but it has never felt like that,” he says. “Increasingly, these movements feel like they’re motivated by other desires and other priorities.”

He noted that puberty blockers are widely prescribed without incident in countries around the world and have been described numerous times by researchers and clinicians as safe, effective and potentially lifesaving.

“The premise of the trial was flawed in the first place and the NHS has conceded too many positions to the anti-trans lobby and is now in trouble,” he said.

In a statement to PinkNews, a DHSC spokesperson said: “Children with gender dysphoria will continue to be able to receive care through our new gender service for children and young people in the region, which provides comprehensive care with a focus on psychosocial support, including full mental health support.”

“Preparations for the trial have been paused while the MHRA and clinical leaders address these concerns, as the evidence is currently being questioned by clinicians.”

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