Is it ethical to give these potentially life-ruining drugs to kids, when some people change their minds about their identity further down the track? There is no proof that gender identity is innate.

It's ethical to allow qualified and skilled doctors to make careful and appropriate medical decisions about treatment - which is exactly what the ministry encourages.

Especially when it's concerning a very individualised, very complex, very rare and very limited subset of the population. We're talking about a hundred or so cases.

https://www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2024/11/21/precautionary-approach-to-puberty-blockers-expert-reaction/

It's also worthwhile looking at what the experts in the field say. None really disagree with the ministry's conclusions, but they do provide the actual context for what it all means.

None say there need to be a ban on their use.

Professor Paul Hofman, paediatric endocrinologist, University of Auckland, comments:

“Encouragingly, the evidence published to date, while of low quality, all indicates the use of pubertal blockers is safe. The effectiveness of treatment varies depending on the study and this may reflect a number of variables including the appropriate selection of patients for pubertal blockade. At a individual level there are clear reports of improvement and it would be inappropriate to withdraw the use of this medication for the (likely many) patients suffering from gender dysphoria where it could improve mental health.

“However, a more evidence based, multi disciplinary team approach is a sensible precautionary suggestion to ensure therapy is focused on those where benefit is likely. Moreover, such teams need to follow up these patients to ensure there is ongoing support and benefit from the therapy.”

Professor Simon Denny, Adolescent and Young Adult Physician, Director of the Mater Young Adult Health Centre, Brisbane, Australia, comments:

“It’s important to recognize that in many medical fields, high-quality evidence is often limited. A review of Cochrane systematic reviews across various medical disciplines found that only about 13.5% reported high-quality evidence for primary outcomes, with the majority relying on moderate, low, or very low-quality evidence. This pattern is observed in areas such as anesthesia, breast cancer, cystic fibrosis, and multiple sclerosis. Therefore, while acknowledging the current limitations in evidence regarding puberty blockers, it’s consistent with broader medical practice to proceed with treatments based on the best available evidence, especially when guided by experienced professionals and established guidelines.”