- Despite the government banning puberty blockers for minors last month, a loophole in the law still allows the National Health Service (NHS) England to prescribe them to children under "exceptional circumstances." The Telegraph
- The ban on puberty blockers, which block the production of hormones that cause puberty and are mostly used by children who want to change genders, came after the NHS found "not enough evidence" of their safety and efficacy. NDTV.com
- The ban is bypassed by making an "individual funding request," a tactic used for prescribing drugs not typically offered by the NHS. Former Prime Minister Liz Truss said these requests are being made in "schools, hospitals, and the courts." Daily Mail (LR: 5 CP: 5)
- Truss' proposed bill to abolish the loophole has won support from Conservative members of Parliament, including Nick Fletcher and Dr. Caroline Johnson, though it's faced backlash due to another provision regarding protecting women's spaces. The Telegraph
- Dr. Hilary Cass, who released an interim report on the matter in 2022 that led to the eventual ban on puberty blockers, is supposed to release her final report on Wednesday. NDTV.com
- This follows reports out of the US that found that puberty blockers may lead to shrinking testicles, infertility, and cancer in boys. A University College London neuropsychologist also found that young girls taking the drugs reportedly lost between seven and 15 IQ points. Daily Mail (LR: 5 CP: 5)
Right narrative:
- Society has been brainwashed into thinking puberty blockers are a safe and mainstream treatment because the data on risks have been hidden from them. Most children who don't resort to puberty blockers end up growing out of this mindset, but those who are pushed into these treatments by corrupt doctors and activists end up getting hurt. Transgenderism is a political movement with serious medical consequences. It must be put to an end now.
NEW YORK POST (LR: 5 CP: 5)
Left narrative:
- Puberty blocking is a far more nuanced matter than its opponents want to admit. These drugs have been safely prescribed for other medical issues for decades, and they've also been used to improve the mental health of transgender children, including in dire circumstances. While we still need more robust studies on the matter, that doesn't mean that puberty blockers should be banned for every child suffering from gender dysphoria.
GUARDIAN (LR: 2 CP: 5)