US EditionGovernment Pausing Prescription of Puberty Blockers
- On Wednesday, New Zealand Cabinet agreed to halt new prescriptions of puberty blockers for young people with gender dysphoria until the United Kingdom clinical trial results in 2031 are available.
- The Cass Review, led by paediatrician Dr Hilary Cass, concluded the evidence base was 'remarkably weak' and recommended a formal clinical trial, while last year the Ministry of Health released an evidence brief finding limited, poor-quality support.
- The medicines remain available for recognised medical conditions such as early-onset puberty, endometriosis, and prostate cancer, and prescribers may continue off-label use under section 25 of the Medicines Act.
- PATHA criticised the review's expert makeup, with Jennifer Shields saying it excluded trans experts, while Green Party MP Ricardo Menéndez March accused the Government of targeting trans people, and ACT Party spokeswoman Karen Chhour welcomed aligning regulations with the United Kingdom approach.
- Cabinet ordered a review of settings once UK trial results are available, directing the Ministry of Health to follow the United Kingdom NHS and Nordic countries that recently tightened access.
19 Articles
19 Articles
NZ Right-Wing Government Bans Puberty Blockers: "Sacrificing A Generation Of Trans Youth"
NZ Parliament House // Wikimedia CommonsErin In The Morning is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.On Wednesday, New Zealand’s government—under growing pressure from its far-right flank—made the dramatic decision to ban new prescriptions of puberty blockers for transgender youth. The move, framed by the governing right-wing coalition as deference to the United King…
Puberty blockers banned: The reality of raising a trans child in 2025
In January, a concerned parent shared the story of their trans daughter ahead of public consultation on puberty blockers. Today, we republish that essay alongside their response to the government’s ban on new puberty blocker prescriptions for gender-affirming care. November 2025 I have known I would need to write a second part of this for almost a year now, and I have dreaded having to do it every goddamn day. And now I have to because the New Z…
Govt taking 'precautionary approach' to puberty blockers
Simeon Brown. Photo: RNZ By Craig McCulloch of RNZ The government is halting new prescriptions of puberty blockers for young people with gender dysphoria, saying "a precautionary approach" is needed while evidence remains uncertain.
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