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The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- Health
- The Irish Sun
Parents of 17-year-old launch High Court battle to stop teen changing gender
THE parents of a 17-year-old have launched a High Court bid to block their child from changing gender. They took the highly unusual move after the child forged their mother's signature to get hormone replacement therapy on the NHS. Advertisement The teen was born a boy but identifies as a girl and is being backed in court by their GP. The parents insist the child lacks the mental capacity to consent to the treatment. In court papers they say no proper assessment of the teen's mental and physical health has been done. They also fear grave psychiatric harm if the child is allowed to continue with 'an inappropriate, negligently given, life-altering treatment'. Advertisement READ MORE ON TRANS RIGHTS The case is believed to be the first of its kind. The parents are separately seeking a judicial review of the GP's role in prescribing HRT. The Royal College of GPs previously stated medics should not prescribe gender-affirming hormones to patients under the age of 18. The child, who lives with their parents, started HRT last October, ahead of a referral to specialist gender services. Advertisement Most read in The Sun London's High Court was told treatment began four weeks after the child forged their mum's signature on a self-assessment form. Keir says 'woman is an adult female' & insists he's 'pleased' by court trans ruling after years of woke dithering Mr Justice MacDonald said the child 'emphasises the law gives her permission to make her own decision'. The court heard the child, described as 'eloquent, articulate, and sensible' instructed a solicitor and is happy and doing A-levels. The child told the court: 'I live in two opposite worlds — one in my household, where I am seen as less than, and the other outside the home where I am calm and grounded.' Advertisement Case adjourned until a later date. 1 Parents of a 17-year-old have launched a High Court bid to block their child from changing gender Credit: Alamy
The Sun
4 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
Parents of 17-year-old launch High Court battle to stop teen changing gender
THE parents of a 17-year-old have launched a High Court bid to block their child from changing gender. They took the highly unusual move after the child forged their mother's signature to get hormone replacement therapy on the NHS. The teen was born a boy but identifies as a girl and is being backed in court by their GP. The parents insist the child lacks the mental capacity to consent to the treatment. In court papers they say no proper assessment of the teen's mental and physical health has been done. They also fear grave psychiatric harm if the child is allowed to continue with 'an inappropriate, negligently given, life-altering treatment'. The case is believed to be the first of its kind. The parents are separately seeking a judicial review of the GP's role in prescribing HRT. The Royal College of GPs previously stated medics should not prescribe gender-affirming hormones to patients under the age of 18. The child, who lives with their parents, started HRT last October, ahead of a referral to specialist gender services. London's High Court was told treatment began four weeks after the child forged their mum's signature on a self-assessment form. Keir says 'woman is an adult female' & insists he's 'pleased' by court trans ruling after years of woke dithering Mr Justice MacDonald said the child 'emphasises the law gives her permission to make her own decision'. The court heard the child, described as 'eloquent, articulate, and sensible' instructed a solicitor and is happy and doing A-levels. The child told the court: 'I live in two opposite worlds — one in my household, where I am seen as less than, and the other outside the home where I am calm and grounded.' Case adjourned until a later date. 1
The Age
17-05-2025
- Health
- The Age
Weight-loss jabs could help tackle depression
The class of medication includes semaglutide, marketed as Ozempic for treatment of diabetes, and Wegovy for weight loss, as well as Mounjaro, which treats both. Experts have likened the medications to 'the fountain of youth' because of the impact they have had in turning back the clock on a host of diseases. Scientists believe the ability of the jabs to reduce inflammation and insulin resistance are key to this, with both linked to a number of illnesses as well as depression and cognitive decline. Previous research has shown diabetes can affect thinking ability, causing memory loss and brain fog. GLP-1 injections may help fix that by reducing inflammation in the brain, improving how insulin works in the body while boosting the brain's metabolism. Experts believe these mechanisms may even help the jabs to protect against diseases such as Alzheimer's. The latest review looked at studies that included obese patients, some of whom had type 2 diabetes. Patients were being treated with various types of injections, the best-known of which is semaglutide – Ozempic or Wegovy. In patients without mental illness, the drugs consistently outperformed insulin and other diabetes medications in boosting emotional wellbeing. The review also appeared to disprove early concerns that the drugs increased the risk of suicidal behaviour, new mental illness or psychiatric hospital admissions. Five trials reported improved mood and quality of life in patients with conditions such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Dr Breit said: 'These results are particularly important for people with severe mental disorders who are three times more likely to be living with obesity than the general population. 'This research provides much-needed evidence in support of GLP-1 RAs to help safely address the burden of obesity in people with mental illness. 'However, more data from large-scale randomised trials, and longer treatment and follow-up periods, are needed to establish the long-term efficacy of GLP-1 RAs, as well as future studies exploring whether these medications might be useful for the direct treatment of mental health disorders.' Mental illnesses are associated with an increased risk of weight gain and type 2 diabetes. Weight gain is also a common side effect of mood-altering drugs, including antidepressants and antipsychotics, especially for individuals with severe mental illnesses who must take their medications indefinitely to reduce the risk of symptom relapse. Professor Kamila Hawthorne, chairman of Britain's Royal College of GPs, said: 'This research makes for interesting reading and, as more research is conducted and published, it's important that findings are considered, as clinical guidelines for use of liraglutide, semaglutide and other weight-loss medications are updated and developed. 'There is clearly a lot of potential for weight-loss drugs – which are still very new medications – to have wide-ranging benefits for patients, so it's good to see research being undertaken to explore these. 'As with any medication, they do not come without risk and can cause side effects, which range in seriousness. Loading 'It's vital that patients have access to the holistic support and care that addresses the underlying reasons for their health problems, rather than relying on medical interventions alone.' One randomised controlled trial involving 732 patients with type 2 diabetes but no pre-existing mental disorders showed those put on the jabs saw boosts in emotional health and positive feelings, and a reduction in psychological distress. The weight-loss drugs also appeared to improve symptoms in patients suffering with mental illnesses.
Sydney Morning Herald
17-05-2025
- Health
- Sydney Morning Herald
Weight-loss jabs could help tackle depression
The class of medication includes semaglutide, marketed as Ozempic for treatment of diabetes, and Wegovy for weight loss, as well as Mounjaro, which treats both. Experts have likened the medications to 'the fountain of youth' because of the impact they have had in turning back the clock on a host of diseases. Scientists believe the ability of the jabs to reduce inflammation and insulin resistance are key to this, with both linked to a number of illnesses as well as depression and cognitive decline. Previous research has shown diabetes can affect thinking ability, causing memory loss and brain fog. GLP-1 injections may help fix that by reducing inflammation in the brain, improving how insulin works in the body while boosting the brain's metabolism. Experts believe these mechanisms may even help the jabs to protect against diseases such as Alzheimer's. The latest review looked at studies that included obese patients, some of whom had type 2 diabetes. Patients were being treated with various types of injections, the best-known of which is semaglutide – Ozempic or Wegovy. In patients without mental illness, the drugs consistently outperformed insulin and other diabetes medications in boosting emotional wellbeing. The review also appeared to disprove early concerns that the drugs increased the risk of suicidal behaviour, new mental illness or psychiatric hospital admissions. Five trials reported improved mood and quality of life in patients with conditions such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Dr Breit said: 'These results are particularly important for people with severe mental disorders who are three times more likely to be living with obesity than the general population. 'This research provides much-needed evidence in support of GLP-1 RAs to help safely address the burden of obesity in people with mental illness. 'However, more data from large-scale randomised trials, and longer treatment and follow-up periods, are needed to establish the long-term efficacy of GLP-1 RAs, as well as future studies exploring whether these medications might be useful for the direct treatment of mental health disorders.' Mental illnesses are associated with an increased risk of weight gain and type 2 diabetes. Weight gain is also a common side effect of mood-altering drugs, including antidepressants and antipsychotics, especially for individuals with severe mental illnesses who must take their medications indefinitely to reduce the risk of symptom relapse. Professor Kamila Hawthorne, chairman of Britain's Royal College of GPs, said: 'This research makes for interesting reading and, as more research is conducted and published, it's important that findings are considered, as clinical guidelines for use of liraglutide, semaglutide and other weight-loss medications are updated and developed. 'There is clearly a lot of potential for weight-loss drugs – which are still very new medications – to have wide-ranging benefits for patients, so it's good to see research being undertaken to explore these. 'As with any medication, they do not come without risk and can cause side effects, which range in seriousness. Loading 'It's vital that patients have access to the holistic support and care that addresses the underlying reasons for their health problems, rather than relying on medical interventions alone.' One randomised controlled trial involving 732 patients with type 2 diabetes but no pre-existing mental disorders showed those put on the jabs saw boosts in emotional health and positive feelings, and a reduction in psychological distress. The weight-loss drugs also appeared to improve symptoms in patients suffering with mental illnesses.
Telegraph
13-04-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
GPs ‘must refuse' requests for trans drugs to under 18s
GPs have been ordered to stop prescribing trans drugs to children amid fears they are coming under pressure to break the law. Family doctors have also been told they 'must refuse' requests to prescribe puberty blockers because it is a criminal offence, in new NHS guidance. The clarification comes after The Telegraph disclosed that GPs are concerned they will be caught in a battle over a condition they aren't trained to treat. It also follows a legal case involving an NHS GP surgery in Brighton where doctors prescribed cross-sex drugs to children without their parents' knowledge. The new guidance empowers GPs to turn away requests to prescribe the powerful drugs to under 18s, particularly if they have come from any unregulated or offshore clinics. Previously, GPs would enter 'shared-care agreements' and continue a regular prescription for a child taking the drugs after they had initially been given them by transgender clinic. Last month, the Royal College of GPs updated its 'position statement' to argue that the profession should not be prescribing gender-affirming hormones to anyone under 18 because they did not have the specialist skills needed for this group of patients. It is understood a number of GPs have felt pressured into prescribing the drugs to children or entering agreements to supply the drugs on behalf of transgender clinics. The NHS guidance specifically singles out two unregulated clinics to be avoided – GenderGP and Anne Transgender Healthcare Ltd – both of which have 'published statements that oppose the restrictions that have been put in place' by the NHS and the Government. Wes Streeting announced last year that a UK-wide ban on puberty blockers would be made indefinite, outside of a clinical trial, although cross-sex drugs are still available to 16 and 17 year-olds. The guidance from the NHS, seen by The Telegraph, tells doctors they 'must refuse' to prescribe puberty blockers to under 18s to treat gender dysphoria under any circumstances. 'Criminal offence' It says: 'It is a criminal offence for a healthcare professional to privately prescribe or dispense this drug to patients under the age of 18.' It also states that 'a GP should refuse to support an unregulated provider in the prescribing or supply of alternative medications that may be used to suppress pubertal development'. And it recommends the same for cross-sex hormones if the request comes from an unregulated clinic and for all such requests to be carefully considered. Regulated clinics are limited to those registered by a UK regulator, such as the Care Quality Commission (CQC), and does not include any based abroad or online, even if they adhere to regulatory rules in their respective countries. The guidance stops short of telling GPs not to prescribe cross-sex hormones at all. The NHS says they should not be used in children under 16 but has resisted calls for a ban for under 18s. Experts and campaigners have raised concerns about the leeway the guidance provides to GPs to prescribe the drugs if they fear the risk of refusing to do so outweighs the harms the drugs might cause. Dr Louise Irvine, a GP and co-chair of Clinical Advisory Network on Sex and Gender, said: 'GPs can come under considerable pressure from patients to prescribe on the advice of unregistered gender clinics and this advice will give GPs much needed support to refuse in the interests of patient safety.' But she said it did 'not go far enough' because it was 'not mandatory' and some GPs are 'operating outside NHS prescribing protocols'. She also said it did not protect adults from the same risks. The NHS said advice issued to pharmacists recently by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPC) was 'equally relevant to GPs who are asked to agree a shared care arrangement'. The GPC had said: 'It is not enough for a prescription to be legally valid; that is just one consideration alongside others, including judgement as to whether a prescription is clinically appropriate.' The Cass Review, led by paediatrician Dr Hilary Cass (now Baroness), said cross-sex hormones should not be given to under 16s and only ever prescribed for 16 and 17-year-olds when the 'clinician making the prescribing recommendation can demonstrate extreme caution in clinical decision making'. The NHS guidance said: 'It is within this context that GPs and other prescribing professionals are cautioned against a shared care approach with unregulated providers who continue to offer access to – or facilitate access to – hormone interventions to children.' It comes amid various legal challenges attempting to ban the use of cross-sex drugs in children, including one led by Kiera Bell, a de-transitioner who regretted trans surgery. The legal case argues that the drugs issued to 16 to 18 year-olds pose an 'irreversible' and 'unacceptable' risk to the health of thousands of vulnerable children suffering from gender dysphoria. Cross-sex hormones change the physical sexual characteristics of a person, while puberty blockers delay the onset of puberty by suppressing the release of hormones. Legal action A GP clinic in Brighton, WellBN, is also facing legal action over its decision to prescribe cross-sex drugs to teenagers, with lawyers asking the High Court to prevent it from giving gender-affirming hormones to a troubled 16-year-old. The child approached WellBN without his parents' knowledge after the school began facilitating a 'social transition' to help him align with his chosen female gender. The clinic said it was confident it assessed children 'in accordance with good medical practice'. A solicitor, who represents a number of families taking action over clinics in this country prescribing cross-sex hormones to their children, welcomed the crackdown but said 'tougher action is long overdue'. Paul Conrathe, of Sinclair's Law, said: 'The dangerous practices of overseas unregulated clinics have been known for some time. Tougher action is long overdue and this guidance is a step in the right direction. 'There, however, remain significant loopholes that can be lawfully exploited by these clinics. Only a ban on prescribing cross sex hormones outside of the NHS will provide the necessary measures to protect vulnerable children.' Mr Conrathe added that it was 'vital that Wes Streeting bans cross sex hormones being delivered outside of the careful protections of the NHS'. An NHS spokesman said: 'Unregulated healthcare services pose a risk to patient safety as they are not subject to the same level of scrutiny as registered services. 'In response to concerns put to NHS England by GPs about named unregulated providers who arrange for puberty blockers, hormone drugs and other medications to be given to children for gender incongruence, contrary to NHS policy, NHS England has advised GPs not to cooperate in this unsafe practice.'
