In the face of what seems like a pervasive global campaign against gender affirming care, New Zealand hopped on the bandwagon in December banning new prescriptions of puberty blocking drugs for transgender youth.
New Zealand’s Health Minister Simeon Brown claimed that doctors would be banned from writing new prescriptions for gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues for those struggling with gender dysphoria. Those who are already on the drugs will still be able to continue treatment. The drugs will also remain available for those in New Zealand who have been diagnosed with early onset puberty, endometriosis, or prostate cancer. According to The Guardian, Brown claimed New Zealand’s health ministry determined there was a lack of “high-quality evidence that demonstrates the benefits or risks” of the treatment.”
New Zealand follows similar bans in other nations like the U.K., where puberty blocker prescriptions were banned for minors in late 2024. In the U.S., federal funding has been cut from hospitals and care facilities where gender affirming therapies are offered or practiced.
Experts in New Zealand say the new ban will have a negative impact on the lives of transgender and gender diverse youth in the country. Dr. Elizabeth McElrea, a specialist in gender affirming care and VP of the Professional Association for Transgender Health Aotearoa (PATHA) says “the ban will lead to worsening mental health, increased suicidality and dysphoria for gender diverse children and young people.”
The continued protection and accessibility of gender affirming care has been supported by various esteemed medical organizations in the U.S., including the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, the World Medical Association, and the World Health Organization.
