Genspect NZ welcomes the Government’s decision to bring an immediate halt to the use of medicines to block normal puberty.
Genspect NZ welcomes the Government’s decision to bring an immediate halt to the use of medicines to block normal puberty. This is a decisive step toward safeguarding New Zealand children and brings us into line with a growing international consensus that these medicines are experimental, lack credible long-term safety data, and expose developing bodies to irreversible harm. New Zealand has one of the highest prescribing rates of puberty blockers in the world, making us an outlier. This decision is an overdue correction. Genspect stands with parents, clinicians and communities who share the view that children deserve safe, cautious, and responsible healthcare.
“The announcement from Health Minister Simeon Brown will be an enormous relief to parents who, until today, have been told by a small group of activist prescribers that blockers were standard care despite the poor-quality evidence behind the claim,” said Genspect spokesperson Jan Rivers. “Health regulation exists precisely to shield children from the harms of experimental treatment and these drugs do not treat underlying distress, and do not improve long-term mental-health outcomes. New Zealand has finally taken the responsible path: one based on “first do no harm”.
Rivers warned that the Minister may need to consider the experience of NHS England when it implemented its own ban on puberty blockers. “The NHS has faced legal action and a torrent of misinformation about suicide risk and the claimed efficacy of the medication. Health authorities in other jurisdictions have had to repeatedly correct misleading claims about suicide. These claims have been frequently repeated in the NZ mainstream media. The Government must be prepared to see through the new policy in the face of an alarmist disinformation campaign.
Genspect NZ is calling for these further constructive steps:
The collection of all the data on every child already exposed to puberty blockers, so every child’s assessment and treatment pathway, and long-term health outcomes can be documented.
Ensuring that gender-distressed children receive the same quality of mental healthcare as other children with complex presentations.
Concerned parents should contact their local MP to tell them how relieved they are that the government has followed health authorities in Finland, the UK, and Brazil in banning or restricting puberty blockers.
<ends>
Support Genspect New Zealand
If you’d like to support Genspect in New Zealand you can make a payment to Genspect New Zealand Limited 02-1257-0087070-000 or use our Stripe account. Our articles are free for everyone to read.