AQW 15305/22-27

Ms Paula Bradshaw
Alliance Party
South Belfast

Tabled Date: 18/09/2024
Answered On Date: 02/10/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health to detail the nature of the clear and unequivocal advice that enabled him, alongside the First Minister and deputy First Minister, to support an extension on the ban on puberty blockers, including (i) the source of the advice; and (iii) whether the advice will be published.

Answer:

A UK-Wide Statutory Instrument entitled “The Medicines (Gonadotrophin-Releasing Hormone Analogues) (Emergency Prohibition) (Extension) Order 2024” was made and laid in UK parliament on 22 August 2024 to extend a temporary ban recently on the supply of puberty blockers on a UK-wide basis to include Northern Ireland following the findings of a recent independent review of gender identity services for children and young people in England (“the Cass Review”) and in light of subsequent advice received from Senior Professional advisers from within my Department.

The findings of the Cass Review, which were published on 10 April 2024, found that there is not currently a reliable evidence-base upon which to make clinical decisions about the use of “puberty blockers” to treat gender dysphoria/incongruence, or for children and their families to make informed choices. It also concluded that because of the limited evidence, and potential risks to patient safety with regards neurocognitive development, psychosexual development and longer-term bone health, these medicines should only be offered for this purpose under a research protocol.

To this end the current UK-wide temporary emergency prohibition order was made under powers conferred by Section 62 of the Medicines Act 1968 (“the Act”) which enables Ministers to prohibit the sale, supply or importation of medicines on safety grounds. Section 62(3) of the Act specifically allows for the making of an emergency order without formal consultation when in the opinion of Ministers it is essential to make the order with immediate effect to avoid serious danger to health. The First Minister and deputy First Minister agreed with my recommendation based on the evidence that the emergency prohibition order should extend to Northern Ireland.

The safety of patients is paramount, and my Department will continue to work with the Department of Health and Social Care in England and the other UK administrations to consider the development and implementation of a permanent solution to this issue which will require consultation with representative organisations in Northern Ireland. Any permanent proposals arising from consultation will of course be brought to the Executive for its agreement.