A temporary ban on the sale and supply of puberty blockers has been extended to include Northern Ireland.
Puberty blockers, which ‘suppress hormone release’, are often prescribed to children questioning their gender.
According the BBC, the emergency legislation, brought in by the last Government protects under-18s from obtaining the drugs via private prescriptions from the UK or Europe, and was set to expire on 3 September for England, Wales and Scotland. But the ban has now been extended until 26 November for all of the UK.
In May, the Conservative government introduced stricter rules, implementing an emergency ban on these drugs from private and European prescribers.
‘Hard deadline to meet’
Northern Ireland’s Ulster Unionists’ leader, Mike Nesbitt told the BBC’s Talkback programme that he had a “hard deadline” to meet which had “implications” for the entire UK.
Mr Nesbitt agreed the matter of puberty blockers “would be a valid point” to put on the agenda for the next meeting of the Northern Ireland Executive.
The minister added that he had shared a paper outlining the rationale for the decision, but he would not be drawn on whether any executive colleagues responded to this.
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Wales and puberty blockers?
Puberty suppressing hormones is not be available for children and young people in Wales.
In March 2023, Andrew R.T. Davies, Leader of the Welsh Conservative Group in the Senedd said: ‘The NHS England has carefully considered the evidence review conducted by NICE and further published evidence available to date and concluded that there is not enough evidence to support the safety or clinical effectiveness of puberty suppressing hormones to make the treatment routinely available at this time.
‘Therefore, puberty suppressing hormones will not be available as a routine commissioning treatment option for children and young people in Wales who are referred via our gender identity services pathway.
‘However, NHS England aims to have a study into the use of puberty blockers in place by December 2024.
‘Welsh children and young people referred into the service will also be eligible to participate in the study.
‘This change will not affect young people from Wales who are already receiving puberty “suppressing hormones” from the NHS’.
Get off the fence!
The issue of puberty blockers and gender-affirming surgeries, whether for young people or adults, shouldn’t even be a debate.
These are life-altering decisions, and there have been cases of regret and even deaths following such procedures.
It’s concerning that the government seems more focused on staying ‘woke’ than on upholding natural, biological truths and by enforcing policies that go against the traditional understanding of gender, straying from Gods original plan laid out for humanity.
It’s time for the government to stop sitting on the fence and take a clear stance on this critical topic.
The Review
The move to ban puberty blockers came after a report into children’s gender services – the Cass Review – said there were “gaps in evidence” around the drugs.
The review was led by leading paediatrician Dr Hilary Cass and prompted the last government to ban the use of puberty blockers for under-18s questioning their gender – a move which was then supported by Labour when they won the election.
Westminster has now extended that temporary legislation, external, which previously did not include Northern Ireland.
Meanwhile, “trans” support group Mermaids said it is “very disappointed” by the decision to extend the ban to Northern Ireland as it “sets a worrying precedent”.
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Read and pray
READ: Lev 19:35; Deut 22:05; Isa 28:9; Psa 128:2; Prov 14:23;;Mark 10:06; RRom 3:13.
PRAY: For the repeal of woke laws.
Pray for the NHS
Pray for children in Wales and Northern Ireland.
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