Proposed changes to the Availability of Puberty Blockers – Department of Health and Social Care Consultation
Published: 26/09/2024
This consultation seeks views on the proposal to make a permanent order to come into force when the second emergency order to prevent new patients aged under 18 from beginning to take puberty blockers for the purposes of gender incongruence and/or gender dysphoria, under the care of private prescribers expires.
On 29 May 2024, the UK government introduced 2 pieces of legislation which restrict how children and young people under 18 years old can access GnRH analogues.
The first piece of legislation, The Medicines (Gonadotrophin-Releasing Hormone Analogues) (Emergency Prohibition) (England, Wales and Scotland) Order 2024 ('the emergency order'), applies to England, Wales and Scotland. It is a 3-month emergency order, which:
banned the sale or supply of the listed medicines prescribed by private UK registered prescribers for gender incongruence and/or gender dysphoria to under 18s not already taking them
banned the sale and supply of these medicines against prescriptions from prescribers registered in the EEA or Switzerland for any purpose to those under 18.
The emergency order came into force from 3 June 2024 in Great Britain and expired on 2 September 2024. A second emergency order has been developed and introduced. This will continue current restrictions and allow time for further consultation to take place ensuring there is no gap in legislative provision.
A separate set of regulations restrict NHS primary care prescribing of puberty blockers to use only in specific circumstances, and do not have an expiry date. However, these regulations only apply to England and Wales. Equivalent regulations for Scotland are due to commence in early September 2024.