House of Common debates on puberty blockers and pharmacists' challenges over prescription

MPs discussed the UK's approach to prescribing puberty blockers for gender incongruence, emphasising the challenges pharmacists face with overseas prescriptions

"Not possible for pharmacists to check whether prescriptions issued from overseas registered prescribers have been issued in a similarly safe and effective way," the new Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care) Karin Smyth said during a recent parliamentary written response.

At a recent session on Monday, July 29th, at the House of Commons, MP Cat Smith raised an important question directed at the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.

Smith, who represents Lancaster and Wyre, and has been an MP continually since 7 May 2015, inquired about whether the Department of Health and Social Care had conducted a comparative assessment of the UK's stance on prescribing puberty blockers for treating gender incongruence in comparison to other European countries.

Responding to the questions, MP Karin Smyth emphasised on the significance of the Cass Review and described it as one of the most thorough examinations conducted across the globe on gender identity services for children and young people.

Smyth highlighted that the Cass Review published earlier this year included an evaluation of evidence procured internationally and concluded that "there was a lack of evidenced-based guidelines and, therefore, limitations for adopting these for National Health Service gender services".

She also highlighted that the government is in the process of reforming transgender care for young people in this country, based on the best possible evidence.

"That means a holistic approach, with puberty suppressing hormones only considered within a much broader needs assessment, and only then in the context of a clinical trial."

Addressing the concern of overseas prescription, she noted the challenges faced by the pharmacists to verify the safety and efficacy of the prescriptions provided by an overseas medical professionals.

"We know that some overseas providers who advertise their services do not follow this approach," she stated raising concerns about the consistency and safety of such treatments.