Health Bodies Denounce Proposed Limits on Puberty Blockers

YOUR EX

April 9, 2025

A collective of professional health bodies in Aotearoa New Zealand have released a public statement condemning proposed government plans to further restrict access to puberty blockers.

Use of puberty blockers in gender-affirming healthcare is supported by both the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) Standards of Care and the Aotearoa New Zealand Guidelines for Gender Affirming Healthcare. The joint statement, released this week, warns that the proposed changes would ignore established clinical guidance and international standards, prioritising political motivations over the mental health and wellbeing of young people.

One of the government’s potential measures would allow access to puberty blockers only for those enrolled in clinical trials. The health organisations argue that such a move would introduce unethical, discriminatory barriers. They also stress that mandating participation in research as a condition for accessing medically recognised treatment would be coercive and contrary to ethical medical practice.

The Ministry of Health’s Evidence Brief found that any potential harms associated with puberty blockers are inconclusive. However, it warned that denying access to these medications could intensify gender dysphoria and negatively affect mental health.

“Decisions about puberty blockers must remain in the hands of young people, their whānau, and their healthcare providers,” stated Dr Rona Carroll, Vice-President of the Professional Association for Transgender Health Aotearoa (PATHA). “These decisions are guided by professional training, clinical experience, clinical guidelines and the best available evidence—not by political agendas.”

The coalition—comprising PATHA, the Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers, Ara Taiohi, Auckland Sexual Health Service, AusPATH, and numerous other health bodies—has urged the government to maintain fair, evidence-informed access to puberty blockers.

In their formal statement, the signatories reiterated their unified support for puberty blockers as part of comprehensive, gender-affirming care, in accordance with WPATH and national health guidelines. They emphasised that such treatments must only be provided by clinicians experienced in gender-affirming care and backed by multidisciplinary input.

The coalition firmly rejected any suggestion of banning or heavily restricting puberty blockers, particularly when such restrictions hinge on clinical trial participation. They described this as coercive and lacking ethical justification, noting that the same standards of evidence apply to other paediatric treatments.

The statement concludes by asserting that decisions regarding the use of puberty blockers should always be made collaboratively, with young people, their families or support networks, and qualified healthcare providers, based on informed consent and individualised needs. The groups warn that any restrictions would reflect political interference, not clinical judgement.