The United Kingdom’s government has declared an “emergency ban” on the private prescription and supply of puberty blockers for minors, citing concerns over side effects and long-term impacts. This announcement follows previous actions by England and Scotland in March and April, respectively, halting puberty blocker treatments for new patients under 18. From June 3 to September 3, private prescribers in England, Wales, and Scotland, as well as those registered in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, will be prohibited from offering puberty blockers to minors with gender dysphoria, according to the new regulations.
During this period, no new patients under 18 will receive these medications for puberty suppression under the care of these prescribers.
Additionally, indefinite restrictions have been introduced for prescribing these medicines within the National Health Service (NHS) primary care in England, aligning with NHS guidelines. The ban extends to the sale or supply of puberty blockers for treating minors with gender dysphoria, with exceptions for patients over 18 or those with NHS prescriptions.
