Cass found the evidence for puberty blockers in minors remarkably weak. That is why they are not routine NHS care. The remaining path is a research trial. That is not a green light.
PATHWAYS (Puberty Suppression and Transitional Healthcare with Adaptive Youth Services) is funded by NIHR and NHS England. Sponsors: King’s College London and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. The Health Research Authority summary: 226 participants under 16, randomly assigned to start GnRHa immediately or after a one-year delay, compared over two years on quality of life, mental health, physical development, cognition, and “gender-related distress.” Recruitment through NHS children and young people’s gender services in England.
On 19 June 2026 the MHRA said a modified protocol met regulatory standards — minimum ages of entry, stronger discontinuation rules for bone health, cognition, and vaginal bleeding, more detail on fertility preservation. Recruitment was “not due to commence until 1 August 2026, due to legal proceedings.” See the February pause and the June protocol update.
On 31 July 2026 Mr Justice Chamberlain refused permission for judicial review and refused to stop the trial. HRA: the trial “has all the necessary approvals to begin recruiting participants in line with the approved research protocol.”
Experimenting on kids in a trial is still experimenting. The progress is the ban on routine prescribing. Queensland has said it will wait on this trial’s results until at least 2031.
- united kingdom
- pathways