Puberty blockers still safe and reversible – ministry

The Ministry of Health is reiterating puberty blockers are safe and reversible for young people wanting to halt potentially unwanted physical changes, after minor changes on its website led anti-trans groups to claim its position on the medicine had changed.

Last week, the ministry amended information on its webpage about transgender children and young people, removing the words ‘‘safe and fully reversible’’ from a section about puberty blockers. The ministry also added a line to say blockers were used under the guidance of a clinician who specialises in their use.

The changes saw anti-trans and conservative groups claiming the quiet change meant the ministry no longer believed blockers were safe and reversible. This was untrue, the ministry said.

‘‘While puberty blockers are currently considered safe, all treatments have risks and benefits,’’ the ministry said in a statement.

It endorsed guidelines from the Professional Association for Transgender Health Aotearoa (PATHA), which state: ‘‘Puberty blockers are considered to be fully reversible and allow the adolescent time prior to making a decision on starting hormone therapy.’’

The changes were an effort to make it clear the ministry was not providing specific clinical advice for patients, as the suitability of any treatment should be assessed by a clinician, it said. ‘‘The use of any medicine or treatment is a matter for discussion between them and their patient.’’

Puberty blockers, also known as GnRH analogues, can be used in adolescents experiencing distress because of gender dysphoria and are used only after puberty starts, according to PATHA.

Puberty blockers act to pause some irreversible physical changes that would otherwise occur, PATHA said in a statement, provided by its vice-president Dr Rona Carroll.

‘‘The purpose of pausing these changes is to reduce distress and allow time for a young person to mature before making decisions on other gender-affirming care options, such as hormones, that result in permanent changes,’’ Carroll said.

‘‘The decision to start puberty blockers is carefully considered, and involves the young person, their family, and the clinical team working together to determine whether puberty blockers are required. Puberty will resume if puberty blockers are stopped, and so the effect is therefore reversible, and some young people do choose to come off puberty blockers,’’ Carroll said.

Puberty blockers had been safely used for decades in children experiencing early puberty, Ahi Wi-Hongi of Gender Minorities Aotearoa said.

Their original use was to stop ‘‘precocious puberty’’ – a condition where children begin puberty early. In these cases, the blockers are given until a child reaches a normal age for puberty.