When the NIHR Pathways project was announced, there was much disquiet. The £10.7m project included the proposed puberty blocker trial - an experiment on children that we know to be deeply unethical. It is the job of the Health Research Agency to authorise such a trial via one of its ethics committees. When first called … Continue reading Puberty Blocker Research – Is It Needed?
NIHR PATHWAYS: A Misguided Use of £10m?
The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has announced a significant £10 million investment into a PATHWAYS (Puberty suppression And Transitional Healthcare with Adaptive Youth Services) project, aimed at developing and evaluating interventions for individuals experiencing gender-related distress. The study includes the following threads: PATHWAYS Engagement – This advises the research team on … Continue reading NIHR PATHWAYS: A Misguided Use of £10m?
UK Doctors Face Challenges in Providing Care for Gender-Diverse Patients, Study Reveals
A recent study has highlighted significant challenges faced by UK general practitioners (GPs) in delivering adequate healthcare to patients identifying as transgender or gender-diverse. The research, published in Healthcare, points to a lack of clear national guidelines, inconsistent monitoring of hormone treatments, and insufficient communication between primary and secondary care providers. Conducted across two large … Continue reading UK Doctors Face Challenges in Providing Care for Gender-Diverse Patients, Study Reveals
Trump signs executive order protecting children from gender medicine
PROTECTING CHILDREN FROM CHEMICAL AND SURGICAL MUTILATION On January 28, 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order titled "Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation," aiming to halt medical interventions on minors that are intended to alter sex-traits in the name of so-called ‘gender affirmative care’. The order asserts that such procedures, including … Continue reading Trump signs executive order protecting children from gender medicine
Queensland Takes Bold Action on Hormone Therapy for Minors
In a significant move aimed at safeguarding children, the Queensland government has announced an immediate freeze on hormone therapy for new patients under 18. This decision follows revelations from a Cairns gender clinic, where children as young as 12 were reportedly prescribed puberty blockers without parental consent or sufficient medical oversight. The review marks a … Continue reading Queensland Takes Bold Action on Hormone Therapy for Minors
Reframing the Debate: From ‘Gender Dysphoria’ to ‘Transgender Ideation’
Accuracy in language is important for safeguarding The language we use to discuss complex social issues often shapes the policies and interventions designed to address them. Nowhere is this more evident than in the discourse surrounding transgender identification. Terms like "gender dysphoria" and "gender incongruence" have dominated discussions, reinforcing a medicalized view of transgender identification … Continue reading Reframing the Debate: From ‘Gender Dysphoria’ to ‘Transgender Ideation’
The Impossibility of an Ethical Clinical Trial on Puberty Blockers
We call for plans for a trial to be abandoned. The clinical trial investigating the use of puberty blockers in children and adolescents, as heralded in The Cass Review, has reignited debates around the ethical and legal frameworks underpinning such research. Drawing on the principles of medical ethics, associated laws, and insights from critical analyses … Continue reading The Impossibility of an Ethical Clinical Trial on Puberty Blockers
Our Duty Initial Response to the Charity Commission Inquiry into Mermaids
Our Duty, as the ethical and objective alternative to Mermaids in the UK, welcomes the findings of the Charity Commission's inquiry into Mermaids and the concerns raised about its governance and safeguarding failures. For years, we have expressed deep apprehension regarding the ideological influence Mermaids has wielded, particularly in promoting medical transitions for children without … Continue reading Our Duty Initial Response to the Charity Commission Inquiry into Mermaids
UK General Practitioners to Stop Prescribing Gender Hormones
It seems that the climate for medicalising transgender ideation is continuing to change in the UK after the publication of The Cass Review. While this report applies to just one medical practice, the precedent has been set, and others are sure to follow. A patient of one UK medical practice reports receiving a letter explaining … Continue reading UK General Practitioners to Stop Prescribing Gender Hormones
Abnormal Behaviours in Transgender Presentation and Treatment
Understanding the Surge in Gender Dysphoria Cases: A New Perspective on Medical Practice In a recent exploration of the growing phenomenon of gender dysphoria and its treatment, a new research article published in the Australasian Psychiatry provides context on the increasing number and evolving demographics of patients seeking gender-affirming care. The article offers a novel … Continue reading Abnormal Behaviours in Transgender Presentation and Treatment