Genspect Australia commends the Queensland halt on children’s gender medicine

MEDIA RELEASE – Genspect Australia 28th Jan 2025

Genspect Australia commends the Queensland halt on children’s gender medicine

Genspect Australia welcomes today’s announcement by the Queensland Health Minister, Mr Tim Nicholls that puberty blocker and hormonal treatments of children with gender-related distress will be paused pending an independent review of the evidence for these treatments.

“This is good news that will protect Queensland children from irreversible medical harm, whilst the evidence for use of these drugs is re-examined. The 2024 NHS England Cass Review found that the ‘gender affirming’ model of treatment, as used in Queensland, rests on shaky foundations,” said Ms Judith Hunter, Genspect spokesperson.

Genspect Australia is a coalition of clinicians and parents promoting a non-medicalised path of treatment for gender-questioning young people.

Revelations of possible medical malpractice in prescription of blockers or hormones to children in the Cairns Sexual Health clinic precipitated the action by the Minister.

“Action has been taken because of events in Cairns, but the practices at the Queensland Children’s Gender Service (QCGS) in Brisbane have been similarly concerning”, said Ms Hunter.

A review of the QCGS in 2024 found that the clinic follows the “Australian Standards of Care” for treatment of children and adolescents with gender dysphoria, but according to Ms Hunter it missed the more fundamental point that the standards are not fit for purpose.

The Australian Standards of Care did not meet the standard required for consideration by the National Health and Medical Research Council, and received a failing grade for adherence to evidence in a 2024 review of international guidelines.

“It is deeply concerning that Queensland children are being treated with life-changing hormones under a protocol that fails basic quality controls,” said Ms Hunter.

Dr Jillian Spencer, a whistle-blowing child psychiatrist currently suspended from duty in Queensland Health for speaking out about her concerns on the practices at the QCGS, concurs. “It is bizarre that within the course of a decade, a radical treatment with cross-sex hormones that turns physically healthy children into medical patients for life became so widely accepted that clinicians are threatened with deregistration if they do not comply.

“Most of the children and young people presenting to gender clinics have complex mental health problems, autism, a history of trauma including sexual assault, or are just same sex-attracted and confused by their developing sexuality. Responsible medical practice should prioritise exploration of the origin of gender-related distress and focus on helping the child become comfortable in their body,” said Dr Spencer.

Dr Spencer welcomed the minister’s announcement. “This should give the many clinicians who are concerned for child safety the courage to speak up.”

The announcement has also been widely welcomed on social media by detransitioners and parents who question the safety of medicalisation for gender distress and advocate for less invasive treatments, such as psychotherapy.

“We frequently hear that treatment should be a medical discussion between families and doctors, not politicians, however treatment choices other than ‘affirming’ medicalisation have been discouraged and families have been shamed for asking questions” said a Genspect parent member who wished to remain anonymous. “We feel vindicated in our concerns”.

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