UK High Court Upholds Emergency Puberty Blocker Ban

The United Kingdom's High Court has upheld an emergency ban on prescribing puberty blockers to children, ruling it legal based on a review by the NHS, which showed 'very substantial risks and very narrow benefits' of the treatment. The ban, initially implemented by the former Conservative government, restricts the use of puberty blockers to clinical trials only. TransActual, an activist group, and an anonymous minor challenged the ban, arguing it was a misuse of the emergency process, but Justice Beverley Lang cited the Cass Review's findings as powerful scientific evidence supporting the restriction. Although the NHS stopped prescribing puberty blockers last year due to insufficient evidence of their benefits, the current Labour government has expressed intentions to set up clinical trials to further assess the treatment. Health Secretary Wes Streeting emphasized the need for children's healthcare to be evidence-led. TransActual has vowed to appeal the decision, criticizing the reliance on the Cass Review and expressing concerns for young trans people's safety.