2 months ago
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Queensland’s ban on gender-affirming care for children will continue until at least 2031, the state government announced, as it prepares to release a long-awaited review into public hospital gender services.
The Crisafulli government called an immediate halt to hormone treatments for children under 18 delivered through public hospitals in January, and ordered an independent clinical review of all services to be conducted by Victoria’s former chief psychiatrist Professor Ruth Vine.
Health Minister Tim Nicholls said on Friday the pause on stage one and two hormone therapies would continue until the end of the United Kingdom’s “Pathways” trial in 2031.
Health Minister Tim Nicholls.Credit: Courtney Kruk
Stage one therapies refers to the use of puberty blockers, medications that temporarily stop a young person’s body developing physical characteristics. Stage two therapies include hormone replacement therapy (HRT) such as estrogen or testosterone.
Nicholls said the Vine report had found “paucity of evidence” of long-term risks and benefits.
However, he noted that “the review did find low-quality preliminary evidence that gender-affirming hormone therapy, when used appropriately, can alleviate some symptoms of gender dysphoria stress”.
The Vine report is expected to be released in full on Friday.
More to come.
