Dec. 11 (UPI) -- Britain announced Wednesday that a temporary ban barring the use of puberty blocker medication by minors is to become indefinite, stoking anger and criticism from LGBTQ advocates.
Britain instituted an emergency ban against the sale and supply of the gender-affirming medication to minors in May, following a report published in April that cited evidence supporting the safety of the medical practice was "remarkably weak" and more research was needed.
In announcing that the ban would be made indefinite, the British government said that the legislative move would be reviewed in 2027.
"Children's healthcare must always be evidence-led," Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said in a statement, citing the April report, known as the Cass Review, for finding "the current prescribing and care pathway for gender dysphoria and incongruence presents an unacceptable safety risk for children and young people."
"We need to act with caution and care when it comes to this vulnerable group of young people, and follow the expert advice," he said.
Puberty blockers are medication taken to treat gender incongruence and gender dysphoria. According to the U.S.-based Mayo Clinic, the medication, when taken regularly, delays the changes of puberty in transgender and gender-diverse youth.
The issue of transgender medical care has risen among the public in recent years along with increased visibility of transgender people.
Much focus has been turned to concerns over treatment for those under 18 years of age suffering from gender dysphoria, with opponents expressing worries that such medical care is potentially permanently harmful while proponents state it is evidence-based as well as life affirming and life saving.
Following the publication of the Cass Review, the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, the leading medical organization on the topic, published a statement along with the U.S. Professional Association for Transgender Health stating they are "deeply concerned" over its process and content as well as recommendations for gender-diverse and trans youth.
The two organizations said that contrary to the Cass Review, research and the medical consensus supports providing medical treatment including puberty-blocking medication and hormone therapy as it is "helpful and often life-saving for young TGD people, while withholding such treatment may lead to increased gender dysphoria and adversely affect psychological functioning."
"The Cass Review appears to be an outlier, ignoring more than three decades of clinical experience in this area as well as existing evidence showing the benefits of hormonal interventions on the mental health and quality of life of gender diverse young people."
UPI has contacted the WPATH for comment following Wednesday's decision.
British-based TransActual lambasted the indefinite ban as discrimination against transgender people.
"Banning medicines with no evidence of serious harm, only for trans people, using powers designed for contaminated and life-threatening durs, is discrimination plain and simple," it said in a statement, adding that the ban will have "severe ramifications."
"Evidence of the harm of the temporary ban continues to emerge, and will grow now that it has been made permanent."