Debate on the puberty blocker trial this afternoon, 23rd June

Mysteriously they do. Check out some of the drugs, particularly Lupron. They do cause well documented harm. Adults are recommended to take them for the shortest time possible. https://www.chelwest.nhs.uk/your-visit/patient-leaflets/medicine-services/gonadotropin-releasing-agonists

One of the harms they cause is that they prevent the child from healthy development. There is plenty of evidence for this. It is the entire purpose for which they are prescribed to these children.

Good on her. At least someone isn’t saying it’s fine.

Cass believes without a trial young people will continue to get drugs from "unregulated and dangerous routes."
"Today we have young people turning up in the clinics on testosterone at 11, which we know is irreversible," she said.
"It may be that if they were prescribed puberty blockers instead, that would give more time for the therapist to work with them and perhaps come to a different solution than a long-term life on medication."

How are 11-year-old children getting hold of drugs from "unregulated and dangerous routes"? Where are they getting the money to buy them? This should be treated in the same way as if they were obtaining any other illegal drugs. If their parents are buying them for them, the parents should be arrested, as should the people selling them.

Her reasoning about it being more harmful for children not to be prescribed hormone blockers seems to be based on the assumption that they will get them, or hormones, from unregulated sources. Is there any other condition where prescribing a drug for children is done purely to prevent them from obtaining them, or other more dangerous drugs, illegally?

The defence debate seems to be finishing now so I expect the puberty blocker debate to start shortly

If they were harmful, these harms would become apparent in the children and adults who are prescribed the same medication for other conditions, and yet mysteriously they don't.

We're talking about possible harms to healthy children.

This is not about prescribing drugs to children who might have a genuine need for them (e.g. precocious puberty)

We do know they cause harm, from when they have been used for just a few years for precocious puberty. We have evidence from those patients.

Not this again.

we genuinely don't know if there are harms.

So, let's experiment on children until we find out if it harms them or not.

You have no problem with that?

If they were harmful, these harms would become apparent in the children and adults who are prescribed the same medication for other conditions, and yet mysteriously they don't.

With respect, I don't think I'd be taking medical advice from you. PBs are not Smarties.

There is no evidence they cause long term harm. Even Cass says this:

"Speaking to the BBC, Dr Cass said she believes since then "some of the hype about risks have been exaggerated in that we genuinely don't know if there are harms."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg5njnn8k8o

If they were harmful, these harms would become apparent in the children and adults who are prescribed the same medication for other conditions, and yet mysteriously they don't.

there is absolutely no justification to giving a confused, unhappy child, puberty blockers.....the harm they cause is lifelong

Thank OP. Looking forward to it.
whatson.parliament.uk/event/cal55909

That "amendment" is laughable. So the Lib Dems basically want to have a debate about something else entirely! 🙄

Ooh, but I have to go out!