Pink News saying puberty blockers are “well studied, safe and completely reversible”?

[Slythermum]

www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/11/10/tory-mp-miriam-cates-house-of-commons/

In an article about Miriam Cates MP, Pink News say this:

"A recent high court ruling found that trans youth are perfectly capable of consenting to puberty blockers, which are an internationally recognised best-practice treatment for gender dysphoria in young people.

The medication is “well studied, safe and completely reversible” and simply delays puberty until a trans teenager is old enough to make decisions about having gender-affirming medical treatment."

They are quoting a Boston based doctor from this interview theconversation.com/im-a-pediatrician-who-cares-for-transgender-kids-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-social-support-puberty-blockers-and-other-medical-options-that-improve-lives-of-transgender-youth-157285

Isn't this conflicting with what the NHS says which is that:

"Little is known about the long-term side effects of hormone or puberty blockers in children with gender dysphoria.

Although GIDS advises this is a physically reversible treatment if stopped, it is not known what the psychological effects may be.

It's also not known whether hormone blockers affect the development of the teenage brain or children's bones. Side effects may also include hot flushes, fatigue and mood alterations."

www.nhs.uk/conditions/gender-dysphoria/treatment/

Haven't read the whole thread, but I wonder if this is a case where the issue is so enormous that most people simply can't believe that this can be happening. We rely so much on HCPs to only prescribe drugs and offer treatments which are on balance a better option than doing nothing. Most of us are not well equipped to do our own research in these areas. It's staggering that the medical, nursing and psychology professions have just gone along with this. It's a huge failure of professional standards.

It really does beggar belief that there is all this evidence about the side effects of these drugs on every group for whom they've been prescribed, and yet parents and children have been talked into taking them for a psychological problem which earlier research indicates the vast majority of children/adolescents will grow out of as they come through puberty, especially if they have good support and therapy to come to terms with their changing body and any issues around their sexuality.

It's been clear to many psychologists for some time that for the majority of children suffering from dysphoria that going through puberty is the cure for those feelings of discomfort. But even if you don't concede this point, there are two major problems with taking blockers that surely no-one can disagree with.

If a male child takes puberty blockers his penis will fail to grow and therefore if later in life he wants a 'neovagina' it will have to be created from his colon. This is not optimal for a number of reasons and even trans surgeons have said they don't recommend it.

If a female child takes blockers then her body will fail to grow, therefore she will be even less likely to pass as male.

So who exactly are blockers supposed to be helping?

So who exactly are blockers supposed to be helping?

People who desire a pre-pubescent body.

And drugs company sales, and reducing costs of expensive psychological or psychiatric support........

@NecessaryScene

So who exactly are blockers supposed to be helping?

People who desire a pre-pubescent body.

As we always say… who exactly benefits? All beneficiaries. Even ‘indirectly’.

@DoubleTweenQueen

And drugs company sales, and reducing costs of expensive psychological or psychiatric support........

There is a deeply cynical side to me that can't help drawing similarities to the opiate crisis in US and over here.

Many of those drugs were initially developed for end of life pan management which is great but not very cost effective. Much more financially rewarding to prescribe powerful and highly addictive pain killers to younger people who's injuries or conditions would otherwise be managed with much more expensive physical therapy, and there you have it a patient for life.

I'm no tin hatter, but if these drug companies can do it once they can do it again.

I'm no tin hatter, but if these drug companies can do it once they can do it again

I'm willing to be corrected but I also think there was one very heavily into gender ideology political party that had funding ir a donation from a pharmaceutical company who amongst other medications did make/supply puberty blockers.

It realky is a case of follow the money.

They’re not particularly cheap, I paid £500 for a 3 month injection. So clearly they can see a new audience behind breast & prostrate cancer sufferers, and women with endo/adeno.

@Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g

Haven't read the whole thread, but I wonder if this is a case where the issue is so enormous that most people simply can't believe that this can be happening. We rely so much on HCPs to only prescribe drugs and offer treatments which are on balance a better option than doing nothing. Most of us are not well equipped to do our own research in these areas. It's staggering that the medical, nursing and psychology professions have just gone along with this. It's a huge failure of professional standards.

It really does beggar belief that there is all this evidence about the side effects of these drugs on every group for whom they've been prescribed, and yet parents and children have been talked into taking them for a psychological problem which earlier research indicates the vast majority of children/adolescents will grow out of as they come through puberty, especially if they have good support and therapy to come to terms with their changing body and any issues around their sexuality.

I think this is a huge part of it. We all have to have at least some basic level of trust in experts about technical subjects. We assume engineers will understand the basics of building bridges, doctors won't prescribe medicines that are highly likely to be dangerous to kids for no good reason.

If we didn't, it would become really difficult to function.

I have wondered, in relation to the medical trans stuff in particular, how it would affect peoples' trust in terms of things like covid vaccinations. Not that I think it's likely huge now as many aren't that aware, but this is an area where they are specifically having issues with trust in the population.

Seeing doctors push treatments due mainly to ideological reasons doesn't seem like a good look.

Seeing doctors push treatments due mainly to ideological reasons doesn't seem like a good look.

I think this falls into a gap between endocrinology, plastic surgery and psychiatry, and few doctors have relevant expertise in all 3.

What’s unforgivable is the deliberate suppression of research for ideological reasons.

@merrymouse

Seeing doctors push treatments due mainly to ideological reasons doesn't seem like a good look.

I think this falls into a gap between endocrinology, plastic surgery and psychiatry, and few doctors have relevant expertise in all 3.

What’s unforgivable is the deliberate suppression of research for ideological reasons.

In general, yes, but I am less inclined to extend that idea to use of puberty blockers. It seems to me that from the outset, that should have been flagged as potentially quite dangerous. Not something you'd do without some serious investigation first.

@merrymouse

Seeing doctors push treatments due mainly to ideological reasons doesn't seem like a good look.

I think this falls into a gap between endocrinology, plastic surgery and psychiatry, and few doctors have relevant expertise in all 3.

What’s unforgivable is the deliberate suppression of research for ideological reasons.

This

I get so sick of TRAs using the word reversible… reversible how? A male who starts taking blockers at 13 isn’t going to magically grow an adult penis if he stops taking them at 20.

I get so sick of TRAs using the word reversible… reversible how? A male who starts taking blockers at 13 isn’t going to magically grow an adult penis if he stops taking them at 20

All the talk avout puberty being traumatic too must be a self fulfilling prophecy. It sucks yes. There's not an adult alive without an embarrassing penis/period story. But the saving grace is you are all in it together.

Least you were until it gets blocked and all your friends developed around you and the realisation that, (should u be one of the 2 percent who stop them and don't go onto cross sex hormones), you are gonna be starting when everyone else is done amd You are on your own, sets In.

We should be equipping kids for puberty not enabling the fear and embarrassment