Government experiment on children to go ahead despite concerns (pubity blockers)
In a decision that has drawn sharp criticism from conservatives, parents, and ethicists, the Labour government under Health Secretary Wes Streeting has approved a clinical trial allowing puberty-blocking drugs to be administered to children under 16 experiencing gender incongruence.
The "Pathways" trial, led by King's College London and set to begin recruitment in early 2026, will involve around 226 young people who have started puberty but are not yet 16.
While framed as a research effort to gather evidence following the Cass Review's findings of weak prior data, critics argue it raises serious ethical questions about experimenting on children who may not fully understand the long-term implications.The trial follows the 2024 Cass Review, which exposed the "remarkably weak evidence" supporting puberty blockers for gender dysphoria, highlighting risks such as impacts on bone density, fertility, and brain development.
NHS England banned routine prescriptions outside research in 2024, and the government made private prescriptions indefinite in late 2024.
Yet, this trial will be the only NHS route to access these drugs, randomizing participants: half receive blockers immediately, half after a 12-month delay of psychosocial support only.Ethical Concerns: Are We Experimenting on Children?Conservative voices have condemned the trial as unethical.
Shadow Minister Claire Coutinho called it a "grotesque experiment on children," emphasizing risks to vulnerable youths, many with co-occurring conditions like autism.
Kemi Badenoch demanded it be halted, while clinicians in an open letter urged a pause until better data on past patients is available.
Even Streeting has expressed being "deeply uncomfortable" with drugs that halt natural puberty, yet proceeded on "expert advice."Campaigners, including detransitioner Keira Bell—who regrets her own teenage treatment—and the Bayswater Support Group, have launched legal challenges against regulators, arguing the trial is unlawful given limited known benefits and potential harms.The Core Issue: Can Children Under 16 Truly Consent?A central criticism is consent.
Children under 16 provide "assent," with parental consent required, but how can youngsters—some as young as 10-12—grasp lifelong consequences like potential infertility, reduced bone health, or impaired sexual function?
As Conservative MP Joe Robertson noted, if minors lack capacity for certain decisions, why trust them with body-altering drugs?This echoes the 2020 High Court ruling in Bell's case, which questioned under-16s' ability to consent (later overturned on appeal, leaving it to clinicians).
Critics, including psychotherapist James Esses, argue it's unrealistic to expect kids to foresee regrets, especially when puberty is a time of rapid change and identity exploration.The Risk of Regret: Some May Change Their Minds LaterWhile not all will regret it, evidence suggests some young people with gender incongruence outgrow it naturally.
Older studies indicate up to 80% desistance rates without intervention, though modern cohorts differ.
Detransition rates vary—low in some adult clinics (under 1%), higher in recent surveys (up to 10-20% stopping hormones, with some citing regret).
Detransitioners like Bell describe not fully understanding how blockers "trapped" maturing brain and body development.Many gender-distressed youth resolve feelings post-puberty without medical intervention.
Blocking this process risks steering some toward a path they might later reconsider, with irreversible effects.
As Bell asks: Why not prioritize follow-up on past patients instead of new trials?Polls show strong public opposition—63% want the trial stopped, higher among parents—reflecting instinctive concern over medicalizing children's temporary distress.Protecting Children Should Come FirstThe indefinite ban on private blockers was welcome, but approving this trial seems contradictory.
With weak evidence and mounting legal/ethical challenges, conservatives argue for caution: explore psychosocial support first, as many conditions co-occur with gender distress.
Children deserve protection from potentially life-altering experiments when they can't fully decide for themselves.
If some might naturally resolve or later regret, isn't it wiser to wait and watch rather than intervene?
Our vulnerable young people shouldn't be research subjects in an area of such uncertainty.