Statement Regarding Medical Affirming Treatment including Puberty Blockers for Transgender Adolescents
The Boards of Directors of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), the European Association for Transgender Health (EPATH), the United States Professional Association for Transgender health (USPATH), the Asian Association for Transgender Health (AsiaPATH), the Canadian Association for Transgender Health (CPATH), the Australian Professional Association for Trans Health (AusPATH), and the Professional Association for Transgender Health Aotearoa (PATHA) all strongly disagree with the recent judgment of the London High Court in Bell v. Tavistock. We believe this decision will result in significant harm to the affected children and their families. We oppose this ruling and urge that this ruling be appealed and overturned.

The case

On December 1, 2020, the London High Court ruled (Bell v. Tavistock) that children are highly unlikely to be able to consent to taking puberty blockers. The far-reaching result of the judgment is that all applicants for gender affirming medical intervention in the UK under the age of 16 must first seek authorization from a court of law to obtain necessary and effective medical care, with the apparent likelihood that permission will not be given due to the court’s improper practice of medicine