Podcasts Other The Mike Hosking Breakfast Dr Paul Hofman: UOA Professor on the lack of evidence surrounding the use of puberty blockers and the UK banning them

Dr Paul Hofman: UOA Professor on the lack of evidence surrounding the use of puberty blockers and the UK banning them

Published: April 11, 2024, 8:25 p.m.

The Ministry of Health is expected to release an evidence brief on the use of puberty blockers in treating gender dysphoria.\xa0

The UK has banned the prescription of the hormone medication, which delays the onset of puberty, to children. \xa0

Weak evidence has yet been found for their use, with uncertainty about the potential psychological effects. \xa0

UOA Professor Dr Paul Hofman told Mike Hosking that the blockers reduce self-harm and suicidal ideation in some patients. \xa0

But he says there's hasn't been any strong follow up studies looking at quality of life and the impacts, nor any issues around safety. \xa0

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