Question reference: S6W-26401
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 22 March 2024
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Current status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 April 2024
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to put new prescriptions for puberty suppressing hormones on hold, in light of reported concerns around a lack of data on the effects of puberty suppressing hormones on children and young people.
Answer
Decisions on clinical pathways are not for the Scottish Government. These decisions are for clinicians, based on the best evidence available, through the appropriate clinical governance structures.
On 18 April, in a joint statement, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Lothian confirmed that both Boards have paused any new prescription of puberty-supressing hormones and cross-sex hormones for young people as a treatment option for gender dysphoria.
The small number of patients directly impacted by this change, and their families, were notified in advance of this statement. It is right that they were the first to hear about it, sensitively and from the services caring for them, before a public statement was made.