Government following the science

Simeon Brown announced:

Cabinet has agreed to introduce new safeguards on the prescribing of gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues, while ensuring patients with medical needs can continue to access appropriate care, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. …

“Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues play an important role in treating a range of medical conditions. We are ensuring they remain available for patients who need them for conditions such as early-onset puberty, endometriosis, or prostate cancer, where there is strong clinical evidence of benefit.”

So where the science has shown they are beneficial, they can be prescribed.

The Ministry of Health’s evidence brief found that there is a lack of high-quality evidence that demonstrates the benefits or risks of the use of gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues for the treatment of gender dysphoria or incongruence.

Again following the science. The UK Cass Review found the evidence that they were beneficial or even fully reversible was weak.

New patients seeking treatment for gender dysphoria or incongruence can no longer be prescribed gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues, pending the completion of the United Kingdom’s clinical trial on their use in this context.

This is a pause, not a ban. It is sensibly saying we will await the results of a high quality clinical trial, before deciding on their future use.

The new approach will not impact patients currently receiving gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues for the treatment of gender dysphoria or incongruence, with changes applying only to new cases going forward.

That is sensible. Anyone who has started treatment should be able to continue.