Burrows Defends Nesbitt's Decision to Halt Puberty Blockers Trial
Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) leader Jon Burrows has publicly supported Health Minister Mike Nesbitt's decision to suspend Northern Ireland's involvement in a clinical trial evaluating the risks and benefits of puberty-blocking medications for children experiencing gender dysphoria.
The participation of Northern Ireland in this trial was initially reported last week within a review of the region's gender identity services conducted by Dr Hilary Cass.
However, Nesbitt has since decided to pause Northern Ireland's participation in the trial.
Burrows emphasized that the health minister made this decision independently, stating:
"That's absolutely proper."
In a statement provided to The News Letter, Nesbitt explained:
"Having taken account of the ongoing Judicial Review into the UK government's clinical trial of puberty blockers, I have decided to suspend Northern Ireland's agreement to participate in the UK wide trial until the legal process has concluded.
Should the trial ultimately be given the green light to proceed, I shall take the views of executive colleagues before any potential lifting of the pause."
Puberty blockers, also referred to as puberty suppressing hormones (PSH), are medications used to delay or prevent the onset of puberty.
Review of Northern Ireland's Gender Services
In September, Health Minister Mike Nesbitt appointed Baroness Hilary Cass to conduct a review of Northern Ireland's gender identity services.
Baroness Cass is a consultant in paediatric disability and a former president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. She previously led a review of gender services for young people in NHS England.
Her review identified that children had been underserved due to a lack of research and that there was insufficient evidence to confirm the safety or effectiveness of puberty blockers, which pause the physical changes associated with puberty.
Researchers from King's College London are conducting a clinical trial involving approximately 220 children under the age of 16 who are undergoing puberty. This trial aims to assess the impact of puberty blockers on the participants' physical, social, and emotional well-being.
Some advocacy groups have criticized the trial, labeling it unethical and potentially harmful to children.
Jon Burrows commented on BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster programme:
"He has weighed up the fact there is a judicial review and he has paused the participation of Northern Ireland in that UK trial.
That is an independent decision by the health minister, I support the decision he has made."
'No One Is Forced to Be Part of the Trial'
The Rainbow Project has issued a statement strongly opposing the suspension, stating that it "unequivocally condemns" the move.
Alexa Moore of the Rainbow Project said:
"The Executive claimed that its ban on puberty blockers was based on evidence: this decision is very clearly based on politics.
This clinical trial was held up by Executive parties across the board as a means by which to gather the evidence for the use of blockers, assess their safety and efficacy, and make a decision on their use on that basis."
Scope of Baroness Cass's Review
Baroness Cass was tasked with examining whether planned changes to services for young people in Northern Ireland complied with the recommendations from her review in England.
Her review process included meetings with staff and users of gender identity services in Northern Ireland.
The review recommended enhanced research into the characteristics of children seeking treatment and the outcomes for every young person receiving care.
Baroness Cass noted that gender identity services for young people in Northern Ireland benefit from referrals originating from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), which ensures early mental health intervention when necessary.
However, some CAMHS staff expressed frustration that there are children and young people on their caseload awaiting access to the Knowing Our Identity (KOI) service but who cannot currently access it.
The KOI service provides support to children, young people, and their families regarding gender-related issues.
The review contained several recommendations and stated that clinical practice in Northern Ireland should be aligned with that in England.
Baroness Cass also indicated that the Lifespan model should facilitate "a much smoother 17-25 year transitional care pathway" from children's to adult services.
Mike Nesbitt's Comments on the Trial Last Week
In a statement issued last week, Mike Nesbitt expressed gratitude to Baroness Cass and her team:
"I thank Baroness Cass and her team for taking the time to conduct this assessment during their visit to Northern Ireland in November.
I hope this report gives assurances that the new Lifespan Gender Service is compliant with Dr Cass' 2024 review, and that the decision to invest in new and additional psychological and psychiatric support is the right approach."
In July, Nesbitt faced criticism from some unionist politicians after more than £800,000 was allocated to gender identity provision in Northern Ireland.
