Letters to Tasmania Health Minister Guy Barnett

WST members campaigned for the safeguarding of children and the banning of Puberty blockers in children. We also request a proper inquiry into Tasmania Gender clinics

Below are our correspondence


05th May 2024

Dear Health Minister Guy Barnett,

I am writing in regards to the RTI Documents and Cass Report on Australian gender clinics that confirm the need for a Parliamentary Inquiry into Tasmanian Gender Service and the use of puberty blockers.

Women Speak Tasmania request a meeting with you to discuss the need for a Parliamentary Inquiry into the Tasmanian Gender Service,TGS, following from information we received under Right to Information and research contained in the Dr Hilary Cass Report concerning Australian Gender Clinics and relavent concerns regarding the Tasmanian Gender Service.

WST considers there is an urgent need for an Inquiry to investigate the TGS standards of care (RCH Melbourne and WPATH), and the transparency of the agency and use of off label puberty blockers.  We have attached a Summary of the RTI information and the information we received and this Gender Clinic News article provides a summary of information contained in the Cass Report on research into Australian Gender Clinics.

https://www.genderclinicnews.com/p/speed-offence

While TGS data on puberty blockers and cross sex hormones is currently low or lacking accuracy, we really have no idea what is happening in the private health sector especially those still using the now discredited ‘affirmative care’ approach. What we do know is that the puberty blocker being used at the TGS,  Leuprorelin acetate 30mg is being used off lable and has many serious and numerous side effects including sterility and sexual dysfunction.

Alarmingly, there is no TGS data on monitoring and follow up treatments for patients provided with medical treatments and there is no Annual Report.

The TGS relys on the Royal Children’s Hospital(RCH) Melbourne Australian Standards of Care, as well as the WPATH SOC 8 guidelines which have both come under fire in Dr Hilary Cass’ Report in England.  Dr Cass reported the RCH guideline rated a score for the rigour of its development at 19/100 while WPATH was 35/100. The RCH scored 14/100 and WPATH 39/100 for editorial independence.

The RTI documents and the Cass’ Report findings raise serious questions over whether the TGS can provide best practice standards of care to families and children in Tasmania.  I look forward to meeting with you at your earliest convenience to discuss these urgent matters at length.

Regards

Dr Elizabeth Caballero Pastor (retired)


Letter from Hon. Guy Barnett 13.06.24 in response to our letter from 05.05.24


14th June 2024

Dear Health Minister Guy Barnet,

Thank you for your reply to our correspondence regarding our request for a meeting to discuss the urgent need for an Independent Inquiry into treatments being provided by the Tasmanian Gender Service and private health practitioners for the treatment of children with gender dysphoria. 

We are pleased to hear that you consider the safety of Tasmanian children and young people to be paramount and to recognise the importance of having rigorous patient safety data and clinical governance measures.

We understand that you will be very concerned at the Cass Review evaluation of the Royal Children’s Hospital(RCH) Melbourne Australian Standards of Care,  as well as the World Professional Association of Trans Health (WPATH) SOC 8 guidelines. The Tasmanian Gender Service use both the RCH and WPATH Guidelines. 

The Cass review rated these guidelines for rigour of development at a score 19/100 for RCH while WPATH was 35/100. The RCH scored 14/100 and WPATH 39/100 for editorial independence.

No doubt your Government will be alarmed at these ratings which apply to the Tasmanian Gender Service.

The Tasmanain Gender Service continues to prescribe Leuprorelin acetate 30mg. Leuprorelin Acetate 30mg is being used off label for puberty suppression and given to physically healthy Tasmanian children. This powerful drug is used for treatment of advanced prostate cancer, endometriosis and central precoucious puberty. There is no safety data or long term studies for its use in puberty suppression for Gender Dysphoria and because of its serious adverse reactions such as sterility and sexual dysfunction it has been recently banned in England.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-restrictions-on-puberty-blockers#:~:text=The%20government%20has%20today%20introduced,June%20to%203%20September%202024

Furthermore, a recently published long term study from Germany revealed that more than half of young people aged 5 -24 across every age subgroup diagnosed with ‘gender identity disorder’ no longer have the diagnosis after 5 years, the study also reveals the high rate of co-ocurring mental health issues,  which includes depressive disorders (57.5% females and 59.3% males), anxiety disorders (23.5% females  and 34% on males), borderline personality disorders (17.6% females and 12.1% males). 

https://www.aerzteblatt.de/int/archive/article/239563/Gender-identity-disorders-among-young-people-in-Germany-prevalence-and-trends-2013-2022-An-analysis-of-nationwide-routine-insurance-data

The German study and a recent Dutch study reach the same conclusion:  most children and young adults will grow out of their gender distress without the need of medical intervention, caution is needed and the Cass review recommendations should be implemented immediately.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38413534

Recently in NSW the centre-right Liberals party council has passed a motion calling on state and federal governments to ban medicalised gender change for minors. In WA, Liberal opposition leader has committed to a ban on puberty blockers, cross sex hormones and transgender surgery for minors if elected. A ban on medicalization of children and a proper review of gender affirming treatment in Australia, will bring us in line with other nations such as Finland, Norway, Sweden, UK, Chile, Italy and the USA. (Austria and Switzerland currently considering bans)

As you know, some months ago the Federal health Minister stated that the Commonwealth would not be conducting an inquiry into gender clinics in Australia in response to the Cass review and suggested that this is the responsibility of the states. 

Having referred this matter back to the Federal Health Minister, we would urge you to take interim action by banning the use of puberty blockers at the TGS, as has been agreed to as policy by your colleagues in the NSW and WA Liberals. 

WST are concerned that this issue could become a drawn out case of handballing of responsibility when we know your Government has the capacity to take a leading role in Australia to prevent any further harm coming to vulnerable children with gender dysphoria.

We understand you have recently attended a national Health Minister’s Meeting in Adelaide and would be keen to know of any discussions you may have had at this meeting with other Health Ministers.

We request a meeting at your earliest convenience to discuss these matters further especially with regard to broader implications of the Cass Review recommendations concerning children’s mental health in our education system.

Warm Regards,

Dr. Elizabeth Caballero Pastor (retired GP)


Tasmania Gender Service RTI download document below