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Original poster

Royal Society of General Practitioners issue 15 page warning

45 replies

Yeahnahyeah · 07/07/2019 10:28

Unprecedented, according to the daily mail.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7220897/GPs-risk-transgender-storm-issuing-unprecedented-warning-lack-evidence-treatments.html

OP posts:
OP posts:
Bezalelle · 07/07/2019 10:35

Hopefully this will force people to question WHY lobby groups like Mermaids are so keen to push children onto medical pathways when physicians strongly warn against it.

Weezol · 07/07/2019 10:38

Hallelujah. Surprised Mermaids are okay with this though.

TimeLady · 07/07/2019 10:42

Near the end, it says

The transgender charity Mermaids said: 'This document from the RCGP is warmly welcomed.'

I had to read that twice. Really????

Chickenish · 07/07/2019 10:42

But...but... at the bottom of the article Mermaids says they ‘warmly welcome’ the advice which is the opposite to what they are saying.

Chickenish · 07/07/2019 10:42

X post

Hulo · 07/07/2019 10:44

Maybe Mermaids are showing a bit of common sense. To put themselves against a document like this would be pretty exposing

TheInebriati · 07/07/2019 10:45

The document is here;
''The role of the GP in caring for gender-questioning and transgender patients''
www.rcgp.org.uk/-/media/Files/Policy/A-Z-policy/2019/RCGP-transgender-care-position-statement-june-2019.ashx?la=en

<a class="break-all" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190707083338/www.rcgp.org.uk/-/media/Files/Policy/A-Z-policy/2019/RCGP-transgender-care-position-statement-june-2019.ashx?la=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">web.archive.org/web/20190707083338/www.rcgp.org.uk/-/media/Files/Policy/A-Z-policy/2019/RCGP-transgender-care-position-statement-june-2019.ashx?la=en

FannyCann · 07/07/2019 10:49

Add in the preliminary findings from GIDS study. I feel the brakes slamming on in favour of "wait and see" hopefully.

"Separately, England’s only child gender clinic has released a note from a study into the first 44 youngsters to receive puberty-blocking drugs there.
In early outcomes after the injections started in 2011 at the Gender Identity Development Service (Gids) in London, there was “no overall improvement in mood or psychological wellbeing” in the cohort. More than a quarter reported that their mood was worse.

All the children, aged between 12 and 15, wanted to stay on the drugs, according to the presentation by Polly Carmichael, director of Gids. Many went on to receive cross-sex hormone treatment after the age of 16, the next step in changing gender."

(From the Andrew Gilligan article on other thread).

dancingcamper · 07/07/2019 10:51

I bet that mermaids quote has been cut short and they went on to say their true position.

OldCrone · 07/07/2019 10:54

I just posted this paragraph from the RGCP statement on the thread about the Times article (hadn't seen this thread).

Gonadorelin (GnRH) analogues are one of the main types of treatment for young people with gender dysphoria. These have long been used to treat young children who start puberty too early, however less is known about their long-term safety in transgender adolescents. Children who have been on GnRH for a certain period of time and are roughly 16 years of age can be offered cross-sex hormones by the NHS, the effects of which can be irreversible. There is a significant lack of robust, comprehensive evidence around the outcomes, side effects and unintended consequences of such treatments for people with gender dysphoria, particularly children and young people, which prevents GPs from helping patients and their families in making an informed decision.

So they acknowledge the lack of evidence regarding these treatments.

They also call for more training for GPs in gender issues and the expansion of gender identity clinics, which might be the bits Mermaids agree with.

BernardBlacksWineIcelolly · 07/07/2019 10:55

Completely off topic, but can I just take a moment to say how much I hate the Daily Mail website? not about what they print, but the constant fucking pop ups, banners, giant photographs etc make my ancient laptop creak. I always know I'm in for a crash after I open that site. pah!

now off to read the article

SarahTancredi · 07/07/2019 10:56

That's a fairly good article. What adults do to themselves is up to them but children are not here to use to validate adults choices.

We need to be sure. And theres nothing bigoted about that. It's very sensible.

dancingcamper · 07/07/2019 10:56

On my phone it's almost impossible too, adverts etc cover most of the screen.

AnnaMagnani · 07/07/2019 10:58

@BernardBlacksWineIceLolly you need an ad blocker. No pop ups, no banners, no ads - marvellous. Plus the satisfaction you aren't giving them any income.

FannyCann · 07/07/2019 10:58

I think the majority of Drs just haven't known what is going on or it doesn't impact their area of practice/specialism so they've rolled their eyes and stayed out of it. But I always had faith in the NHS systems, GPs and the emphasis on evidence based practice that when a tipping point was reached there would be a sharp U turn. Hopefully we are reaching that point.

It is clear the GMC takes a dim view of the prescribing practices of the Webberleys and their ilk. Meanwhile the RCGP is urging caution. Doctors who blithely carry on prescribing according to patient/parent demands instead of sound clinical evidence do so at their risk.

PackingSoapAndWater · 07/07/2019 11:18

Sounds like someone has finally recognised the litigation nightmare looming up ahead.

misscockerspaniel · 07/07/2019 11:21

There is a statement on the mermaids website (deliberately not putting a link). I had a quick read but didn't see any of the issues raised re medication. They are "warmly" supporting the need for more training. So they are cherry picking the report.

Freyacat22 · 07/07/2019 19:50

"Warmly supporting" it with a view to being the ones who provide it?!

FeministCat · 07/07/2019 20:01

In plain language that could upset transgender rights activists the RCGP also urges the NHS to record what it calls every patient's 'biological sex' – in addition to their chosen gender identity – to avoid potentially calamitous medical mistakes.

Underlining mine. It’s cute that the DM still tries to play naive at how the reaction to this might be!

Cake for the RCGP for doing this. Bring on the sunlight!

Floomph · 07/07/2019 20:08

I feel so relieved to see this. I've been wondering why nothing had been said sooner. We are heading for a national scandal as things stand - teenagers and children should not be on puberty blockers.

visitorthedog · 07/07/2019 20:11

Is somebody making a lot of money from the drugs used here? 🤔

OvaHere · 07/07/2019 20:12

I'm glad they have made this statement. Some GPs must have found themselves under increasing pressure to prescribe drugs they feel are harmful and not in the best interests of a minor patient. I imagine they also must recognise the huge potential for future litigation.

Ikeameatballs · 07/07/2019 20:15

I think it’s great. I wish RCPCH would come out with something similar.