HSE still open to using controversial treatment for gender dysphoria

14th March 2024

The HSE has said its new transgender health plan will not have to follow controversial World Professional Association for Transgender Health (Wpath) guidelines even though the Programme for Government had committed to implementing these, but has not ruled out using it either. The guidelines include using puberty blockers and sex hormones which critics say can cause lasting damage. The comment comes after the NHS banned the use of puberty blockers for minors.

The HSE recently recruited Dr Karl Neff to create a new model of care for children suffering with gender dysphoria.

Asked if the new model will follow Wpath guidelines, the HSE said: “This will be informed by the best evidence-based clinical care for individuals who express gender incongruence or dysphoria and emerging and evolving international evidence will be reviewed as part of this work.

“There is no requirement for the outcome of this work to be aligned with the approach of any particular organisation.”

Last Tuesday, leaked internal ­forum messages from Wpath included a post in which one doctor appeared to describe how a colleague developed liver cancer after eight to 10 years of taking hormones. Other posts showed doctors discussing how to provide treatment to patients with serious mental health issues.

A video of an internal Wpath workshop showed clinicians admitting they struggled to get “informed consent” from patients as young as nine who wanted hormone treatments as they did not understand how this could harm their future fertility. Wpath has been accused of being over-influenced by trans-activists.