The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has announced an “emergency ban” on puberty suppressing hormones from June until September. 

Regulations introduced yesterday (May 29) will ban the supply of puberty blockers to new patients under the age of 18 “for the purposes of puberty suppression in those experiencing gender dysphoria or incongruence” by private UK prescribers and prescribers based in the European Economic Area and Switzerland. 

The move, which applies to England, Wales and Scotland from June 3 until September 3, follows NHS England’s recent decision to end the routine prescription of puberty suppressing hormones to children and young people with gender dysphoria in the wake of the Cass Review. 

Health secretary Victoria Atkins has previously announced her intention to clamp down on the supply of these medicines by overseas prescribers.  

“The new arrangements apply to gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues – medicines that consist of, or contain, buserelin, gonadorelin, goserelin, leuprorelin acetate, nafarelin or triptorelin,” said the DHSC.  

It continued: “Patients already established on these medicines by a UK prescriber for these purposes can continue to access them. 

“They will also remain available for patients receiving the drugs for other uses, from a UK-registered prescriber.”

The ban has been introduced “to address risks to patient safety,” said the DHSC.

Last week the GPhC published a new checklist of questions for pharmacy professionals to reflect on when handling queries around gender-related issues.