Wes Streeting ‘not comfortable’ with puberty blocker clinical trial

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has said he is “not comfortable” with a clinical trial into puberty blockers.

He also claimed the windows in his constituency offices have been smashed three times by transgender activists and he has received “all sorts of threats” since the study was launched last month.

The trial follows recommendation by the Cass Review into children’s gender care, which concluded that the quality of research claiming to show the benefits of puberty blockers for youngsters with gender dysphoria was “poor”.

Around 226 children and young people could be recruited as part of a larger study known as Pathways.

Mr Streeting made a ban on puberty blockers indefinite in December last year.

Speaking to LBC radio on Friday, the Health Secretary said the Cass Review uncovered “utterly shocking levels of unprofessionalism, lack of proper clinical oversight and the prescription of puberty blockers without evidence”.

He added: “But Hilary Cass also recommended that we do a proper study.

“The Pathway study involves a whole range of treatments and care, including therapeutics or mental health support, but it also included a trial on this puberty blockers thing.

“I’m not comfortable, candidly, about it.”

Mr Streeting said his concerns involve the safety of children, ensuring they receive effective and evidence-based care and that clinical advice is followed.

He added: “I’ve had my constituency office windows put through three times by trans activists, and received all sorts of threats. Since this trial has been announced, I’ve been called all the names under the sun online and received some pretty nasty stuff.

“To be honest, the extreme stuff I don’t care about anyway, the political noise I kind of put to one side. I’m following clinical advice.”

Asked about the cause of his discomfort about puberty blockers, Mr Streeting said: “Medication that delays, or indeed stops, a natural part of our human development, which is puberty, I am deeply uncomfortable with.

“Now, the clinical advice is to go ahead with the trial. And those who advocate this medication – and lots of other countries are using medication in these cases – suggest that for trans people, this is a better course of treatment than leaving them without, and with all of the distress and harm that that can cause.”

He added: “We’re following that evidence. As I say, it doesn’t sit comfortably with me. I’m trying really hard as a politician not to interfere or block clinical advice by people who are, frankly, far more qualified than me. And, you know, there will be debate on this.”

Campaigners have called for a stop to the puberty blocker trial, arguing it is unlawful and could harm young people.

A letter was sent to regulatory bodies, the Government and researchers on behalf of the Bayswater Support Group, which comprises parents and guardians of children and young adults who identify as trans or non-binary, as well as psychotherapist James Esses and Keira Bell, who began taking puberty blockers when she was 16 before later “detransitioning”.

They say the trial “fails to safeguard the rights, safety and wellbeing of its subjects, who constitute highly vulnerable children” and that it is “unlawful given the limited known benefits of treatment with puberty blockers”.

Last month, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the trial must be stopped “before more damage is done to children”.