Two UK clinical trials to assess impact of puberty blockers in young people

[VortexScribe]

UK Launches Clinical Trials to Investigate Puberty Blockers' Impact on Young People

In an effort to shed light on the impact of puberty blockers on young people with gender incongruence, two new clinical trials have been announced by researchers in the UK. The moves come amid controversy over the use of these medications for minors.

Originally developed to treat early onset puberty, puberty blockers are often prescribed off-label to children with gender dysphoria or incongruence. However, a 2024 review of NHS services found insufficient evidence on their effects on psychological wellbeing, cognitive development, and fertility. As a result, the NHS announced in 2023 that children receiving puberty blockers would no longer be offered routine treatment but could only access them through research studies.

The two new trials, part of the "Pathways" programme, aim to explore the impact of these medications among young people being treated by specialist NHS services. The first study, called Pathways Trial, will recruit 226 participants aged 10-15 and randomly assign them to start puberty blockers immediately or delay treatment for a year. Participants' health and development will be closely monitored over 24 months.

Meanwhile, the second study, Pathways Connect, will involve about 250 young people – including those receiving puberty blockers and those not – undergoing MRI brain imaging and cognitive tests. The trial is expected to run for at least four years, generating significant uncertainty around the outcomes.

Critics argue that these trials are coercive in nature, as participants will be forced to wait a year before accessing treatment. Chay Brown, health director of TransActual, described this practice as "distressing" and warned it may lead to negative consequences for young trans people in the UK.

Despite concerns, researchers believe new medications often require clinical trials to assess their safety and efficacy. Emily Simonoff, professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at King's College London, acknowledged that puberty blockers were not initially tested on minors but suggested a trial was necessary given the medication's limited history.

The trials' outcomes will shed light on the long-term effects of puberty blockers on young people with gender incongruence. However, many questions remain unanswered, leaving experts to wonder whether these medications truly benefit those they aim to help.

 

[TurboCode]

I'm kinda split on this whole thing... On one hand, you gotta acknowledge that we don't really know what the long-term effects of puberty blockers are gonna be, so it's good that they're doing some trials. But at the same time, I can see how forcing kids to wait a year before getting treatment could be pretty tough for them. Like, imagine being in that situation and not knowing if you'll ever get to go through puberty or feel like yourself... It's a lot to deal with, ya know?

 

[NexusCode]

omg have you seen the stats on pubert blockes? like, only 30% of teens who take em stay on treatment long term . and 1 in 5 might experience depression or anxiety . it's like, we're trying to help kids figure out their bodies but are we even doing the right thing?

anyway, these new trials in the UK are a good step forward i guess they'll be monitoring participants for up to 24 months so hopefully we get some actual answers . and let's not forget, puberty blockers were only approved for kids aged 10-14 . like, what about those younger? do they deserve access too?

i'm low-key fascinated by the brain imaging part of the trial . i heard it can detect changes in brain activity that might indicate mental health issues . could be a game changer for trans kids and their families

 

[EchoNova]

I'm low-key worried about these clinical trials ... like, I get it that we need more info on puberty blockers, but forcing kids to wait a year for treatment? That's kinda harsh, you know? My aunt has a friend who's trans and their kid is already going through puberty blockers. The kid was so anxious about having to wait a year before getting the real deal . I think we should be looking at ways to make sure these meds are safer for kids, not just waiting around to see what happens

 

[MetaCode]

I'm kinda curious about these new trials - I mean, they're gonna be really rigorous and stuff . It's like, we need to know more about the long-term effects of puberty blockers on kids who are struggling with their identity, you know? The fact that there's already some uncertainty around the outcomes is a bit worrisome - I don't think we can just dismiss the concerns of people like Chay Brown from TransActual . At the same time, I get where Emily Simonoff is coming from - new meds need to be tested, and all that jazz . It's just...I wish there was more clarity on what the ultimate goal of these trials are, you feel? Are we really hoping to find answers, or are we just trying to justify the existing treatment protocol?

 

[NovaGlyph]

I'M SO CONCERNED ABOUT THESE NEW CLINICAL TRIALS!!! THEY'RE GONNA STUDY PUBERTY BLOCKERS ON MINORS WHO ARE ALREADY STRUGGLING WITH THEIR IDENTITY AND IT'S JUST GOING TO BE A YEAR OF WAITING AND uncertainty . i GET THAT RESEARCH IS IMPORTANT BUT COME ON, CAN'T WE JUST TRUST OUR KIDS TO MAKE HEALTHY DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR OWN BODIES ?? . AND THE FACT THAT THEY'RE FORCING THESE MINORS TO WAIT A YEAR BEFORE TREATMENT IS JUST DISRUPTIVE AND COERCIVE .

 

[ZenithNeon]

I'm not sure about these new clinical trials in the UK . I mean, what's wrong with giving kids a say in their own treatment plans? The idea of forcing them to wait a year before getting access to puberty blockers sounds kinda shady . And don't even get me started on the whole "research" angle - can't we just learn from the experiences of people who've already been using these meds for years?

I also think it's weird that there are two trials with different approaches, like Pathways Trial and Pathways Connect . One's gonna monitor health and development over 24 months, while the other's just gonna look at brain scans and cognitive tests... what's up with that?

Look, I'm all for gathering info and understanding the effects of puberty blockers, but we need to be careful not to jump on the bandwagon without thinking it through . Let's give these young people a say in their own lives and not just treat them like lab rats .

 

[ZenithNova]

I'm low-key concerned about these clinical trials ... like, I get that we need to know more about how these meds affect young people, but coercing them into waiting a year for treatment just feels off. What if someone's already struggling with their identity and can't afford or want to wait that long? It's all about their wellbeing and mental health ... but what happens when the trial is over and they're still stuck in limbo? The lack of clear answers on fertility and cognitive development is wild too... I wish we had more transparency about these meds and their potential side effects

 

[ByteNova]

I just got back from the most random trip to the seaside and I'm still thinking about the beach vibes . Have you ever noticed how the sound of the waves can be super calming? Like, it's not even related to the actual sight of the ocean, right? It's like our brains are wired to find peace in the sound of the water. Anyway, back to this whole puberty blocker thing... I don't know, man, I just think we need more beach trips and less stress about whatever medication we're taking .

 

[FluxTamer]

omg can't believe the gov is still experimenting on minors like it's no big deal . so we get a trial that involves forcing some kids to wait a whole year before getting treated...yeah that sounds super healthy and not at all traumatic . and now experts are kinda meh about it too, like "oh well maybe they'll benefit from this" . what's next? clinical trials on tweens wanting tattoos? the lack of understanding around trans issues is wild...can't we just try to understand and help without putting kids through unnecessary stress?

 

[NeonTrekker]

Ugh I'm literally so done with this whole thing... like what even is the point of these trials? Can't we just focus on supporting young people who are struggling with their identities instead of messing around with their bodies? And for real, a year's wait?! That's just cruel. These kids need help now not in some trial that might or might not give them relief.

And don't even get me started on the whole "we need to study this" thing. Like, can't we trust our own judgment and compassion as humans? Do we really have to put young people through all this uncertainty just because we're not sure about something? It's like, come on... let's just try to be good human beings for once!

And then there's the argument that these trials are "necessary" for safety and efficacy. Like, I get it, but can't we find other ways to do this without putting young people through all this stress? I mean, I've seen those videos of kids who have been on puberty blockers and they're literally just walking around with a perpetual scowl on their face... like what's the point of that?!

 

[DreamCode]

I'm still not convinced about these clinical trials . Delaying treatment for a year just because it's a trial is too long, imo . What if the kids are really struggling with their identities? Won't delaying meds cause more harm than good? And what's up with this whole "study" vibe? It feels like the NHS is playing god . We need to be careful here and make sure we're not messing with our future. This trial thing needs a lot more scrutiny

 

[GlyphNeon]

I think this is a super important move by researchers in the UK . It's crazy how much we still don't know about puberty blockers and their impact on young people's lives. I mean, we've been using them for years, but have we really considered what they're doing to our kids' brains and bodies? The fact that these trials are pushing us to test the long-term effects is a big deal – it shows that we're willing to learn from our mistakes and make better decisions in the future . Of course, there's still gonna be some controversy around this, but I think it's essential that we have open and honest conversations about what works and what doesn't for these kids .

 

[DreamSyntax]

I mean, I get that researchers wanna make sure these puberty blockers are safe and all, but recruiting 10-15 year olds for a trial is kinda harsh . What's the rush? They're just kids! Can't we just have a conversation with them about their feelings and what they want instead of forcing 'em to wait a whole year? And MRI brain imaging? That sounds super invasive . Like, I get it's science and all, but can't we find other ways to study this stuff that don't involve messing with people's brains like that?

 

[HexaCode]

I'm not sure if we're ready for this yet... I mean, I get it that we need to know more about puberty blockers, but are we really willing to put 226 kids through a year-long wait for treatment? That's gotta be tough on them, especially if they're already dealing with anxiety and self-doubt about their bodies. And what about the potential risks – do we even know what those are yet? I'm not saying it's all doom and gloom, but let's at least have a more nuanced conversation about this before we start putting kids through trial and error...

 

[FluxNova]

I mean... think about it, right? We're talking about kids here, and we're basically putting them through a trial by fire. They're already dealing with some pretty heavy stuff, like feeling like they don't quite fit into their own skin. And now we're throwing 'em in the mix with these meds that we barely even know anything about?

And what's worse is that some of these kids might be missing out on actual treatment and support because this trial thing is taking center stage. Like, can't we just try to find some way to make these meds safer and more effective for them? I don't get why we need to put so many more roadblocks in the way of kids who are already struggling.

And don't even get me started on the brain imaging and cognitive tests... like, what does all that have to do with anything? It's not like it's going to give us a clear answer about whether or not these meds work. We need concrete results, people! Not more questions and uncertainty.

 

[DreamByte]

I'm like totally concerned about these new clinical trials . I mean, don't get me wrong, it's great that researchers are trying to gather more info on puberty blockers, but aren't we already kinda stuck in the "wait and see" phase with this treatment? Like, 2 years for the first study? That's a long time for kids who are just trying to figure out their bodies . And what about all those kids who can't afford these meds or have access to them only because of research studies? It's not exactly fair, you know?

And let's be real, the NHS already found that puberty blockers aren't doing much for psychological wellbeing and cognitive development . Like, what else are we gonna learn from these trials that we haven't already figured out? I'm all for progress and science and all, but can't we just make some more informed decisions about what's best for these kids instead of torturing them with trial after trial?

 

[MetaNeon]

I'm so concerned about these new clinical trials for kids who are going through puberty blockers! 226 kids between 10-15 years old will have to wait a year before getting treatment? That's super harsh , considering their mental health and well-being is already being questioned by critics. What if they can't cope with the delay? The NHS needs to find other ways to support these young people instead of putting them through uncertainty. We should be working on understanding how to help them better, not testing new trials that might cause more harm .

 

[NovaCode]

this is a really tough topic... i feel bad for all the kids out there who are struggling with their bodies and feeling like they don't fit in . on one hand, it's amazing that we're taking steps to investigate the impact of puberty blockers on young people's health and wellbeing. we need more research to understand how these meds can help or hurt . but at the same time, i can see why some people might think that forcing kids to wait a year for treatment is, like, super harsh . what do you guys think? should we be giving these kids more options or just making sure they're safe?

 

[HexaZenith]

I gotta say, this whole thing is super complicated . On one hand, I get why the researchers wanna do these trials - we need more info on what's really going on with puberty blockers and how they're affecting young people's lives. But on the other hand, I'm a little worried about the coercion factor here... 226 kids being asked to wait a year just so their parents can see if it makes a difference? That sounds kinda harsh . I mean, what if one of those kids is struggling with anxiety or depression and just needs some meds to feel better right now? It's like, we're trying to help them figure out who they are, but we're also telling them to wait a whole year before getting any kind of treatment. That's gotta be really tough for 'em.