NHS England has temporarily suspended new referrals for hormone therapy for 16- and 17-year-olds following a review of clinical evidence on gender dysphoria treatment.
The decision comes after the findings of the Cass Review, which raised concerns about the lack of reliable research into medical treatments for young people experiencing gender incongruence.
Previously, hormone prescriptions in England were available for some under-18s diagnosed with gender incongruence or gender dysphoria who met specific medical criteria.
However, NHS England conducted its own analysis of available clinical evidence after the Cass review highlighted gaps in research.
The health service concluded that the evidence was too limited to determine whether hormone therapy benefits or harms teenagers.
Professor James Palmer, NHS England’s national medical director for specialised services, said: “Following the Cass review, NHS England commissioned an in-depth review of all available clinical evidence for using oestrogen or testosterone either alone or with other medications to treat gender incongruence and dysphoria.”
He added: “This review has established that the available evidence does not support the continued use of masculinising or feminising hormones to treat gender incongruence or dysphoria for young people under 18.”
The NHS confirmed that young people already receiving hormone therapy through the health service will not have their treatment stopped immediately.
Instead, their care will be assessed individually with clinicians.
Palmer explained: “Patients currently receiving these treatments on the NHS can continue but this will need to be reviewed individually with their clinical team.”
He also stressed that support services will remain available for young people dealing with gender-related issues.
“The NHS continues to offer specialist support for under-18s managing gender incongruence, including mental health support and referral to specialist children and young people’s gender services where appropriate.”
Alongside the temporary pause, NHS England has launched a 90-day consultation on plans to remove hormone therapy as a routine treatment for under-18s.
New referrals will remain paused while the consultation takes place.
The move follows the recent suspension of a clinical trial investigating puberty blockers for children as young as 10, which was halted due to concerns about “unquantified risk” of “long-term biological harms”.
The decision has sparked strong reactions from advocacy groups on both sides of the debate.
Tammy Hymas, policy lead at TransActual, criticised the move.
“Banning new prescriptions of gender-affirming hormones for 16 and 17-year-olds is a profound attack on young people’s bodily autonomy with trans people yet again cruelly singled out by this government.”
Meanwhile, Helen Joyce from Sex Matters argued the pause was necessary.
She said the decision “comes too late” for some children, adding: “Under-18s are simply too young to consent to such irreversible, life-changing consequences. This pause now needs to be made permanent.”
The consultation process will determine whether the NHS permanently changes its policy on hormone therapy for teenagers.