Women Speak Tasmania are calling on the Minister for Health Jacquie Petrusma to conduct an independent review into the Tasmanian Gender Service use of off label puberty blockers for the treatment of gender dysphoria.
WST’ call today comes on the back of the NZ Ministry of Health’s release this week of their review into puberty blockers which found ‘ limitations in the quality of evidence for both the benefits or risk of the use of puberty blockers’.
In addition, the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) on August 12 raised concerns about the off-label use of drugs on children with gender dysphoria.
Since the release of the Dr Hilary Cass Review in England earlier this year, an increasing number of jurisdictions have moved to conduct their own reviews and to date all have implemented changes to treatments being given to young people with gender dysphoria.
The Tasmanian Gender Service continues to prescribe the off label drug Leuprorelin acetate for use as a puberty blocker on young people even though the drug has been banned in the UK and other countries.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-restrictions-on-puberty-blockers
There is rapidly emerging consensus in the medical profession globally that puberty blockers:
* have not been assessed for long term side effects
* are irreversible and unsafe
* lack evidence for efficacy
We would urge Jacquie Petrusma to consult with Dr Philip Morris, President of the National Association of Practising Psychiatrists (NAPP) to discuss development of the Terms of Reference for the Review.
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