Northern Ireland to ban puberty blockers

An prohibition on the sale or supply of puberty blockers to individuals under 18 is set to take effect in Northern Ireland. Puberty blockers, which suppress the release of hormones, can be prescribed to children who are questioning their gender identity.

In May, the Conservative government imposed stricter regulations on these drugs, initiating an emergency ban on prescriptions by private and European providers. This temporary ban was extended to Northern Ireland in August, and now all five Executive parties at Stormont have voted to make the ban permanent. According to BBC NI, this decision aligns with a broader announcement expected in other parts of the UK later this week.

According to ‘BBC’, deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly expressed on X that this measure is “the right approach, informed by medical and scientific advice,” emphasising that “the protection and safety of our young people must be paramount.”

However, Green Party Councillor Anthony Flynn criticised the Executive for failing LGBTQ+ individuals, stating that a promised strategy since 2007 to address community inequalities has never been fulfilled. He remarked, “When this temporary ban was announced in the summer, we and many activists argued that the executive should release the evidence that informed this decision. Now that the ban has been made indefinite, it should be released.” Flynn also expressed disappointment in Sinn Féin and the Alliance Party, accusing them of giving “much lip service to LGBTQ+ equality” without making substantial improvements over their 26 years in government.

In Northern Ireland, puberty blockers were previously available only through NHS prescriptions for under-18s accepted onto the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Gender Identity Service endocrine pathway before March 2020. It is understood that children already on this medical pathway will continue receiving treatment. Additionally, hormone suppressors remain available for conditions such as early-onset puberty.

The decision to ban puberty blockers followed the findings of the Cass Review, a report on children's gender services, which identified “gaps in evidence” concerning these drugs. This review, led by prominent paediatrician Dr. Hilary Cass, led the last government to prohibit puberty blockers for under-18s questioning their gender, a decision later supported by Labour following their election victory.