“I believe passionately that adults should have the freedom to live their lives as they see fit – but it is very important, while young people are still developing their decision-making abilities, that we protect them from long-term harm,” he said. . “We have a responsibility to people under 18 to protect them from irreversible decisions that will affect them for the rest of their lives. As Prime Minister, I will review access to puberty blockers to ensure we maintain the right checks and balances in the system to protect our young people.” Mr Sunak’s team said the former chancellor did not believe children should be “thrown down irreversible medical pathways” and believed they should be “protected from life-changing treatments”. They added that he was concerned that clinicians had warned about the dangers of drugs that prevent puberty. Mr Sunak’s spokesman said: “Rishi believes that all gender-questioning children should be given the time, space and appropriate support they need to consider their feelings. Children should not be rushed into irreversible medical pathways and those under 18 should be protected from life-changing treatments. “Also, the NHS urgently needs to reassess how it cares for children with gender dysphoria, including looking at the outcomes of different treatment models, to ensure they receive the best possible care.” Puberty blockers suppress hormones that are said to halt the development of a child’s sex-based characteristics, such as breasts. More than 1,000 young people have been referred to endocrinology services for puberty blockers from the Tavistock Gender Development Services Clinic.
