Parents of trans children seek court review of puberty blockers trial

Parents of transgender children have launched a High Court challenge to the ethical approval of a King's College London trial of puberty blockers and say they may ask for recruitment to be paused while the case proceeds.

Parents of transgender children have launched legal action challenging the approval of a planned trial of puberty-blocking drugs. The trial, led by King's College London, received ethical and regulatory approval in November and was proposed following the Cass Review into children’s gender care. Claimants say the approval process contained serious flaws and include the Bayswater Support Group, psychotherapist James Esses and Keira Bell. They are seeking permission in the High Court to challenge the decision and have said they may request a pause to recruitment while proceedings continue. Key facts: - The legal action is directed at the Department of Health and Social Care and the Health Research Authority and seeks permission to bring a High Court challenge to the trial approval. - The trial received ethics and regulatory approval in November and is designed to recruit children and young people, with researchers previously describing an intended sample of about 226 participants aged around 10 to almost 16. - Claimants say the ethics process was flawed and have said they may ask the court to pause recruitment; the Health Research Authority and King's College London say the study completed required approvals and refute claims that it bypassed ethics review. - The trial was put forward after the Cass Review, which reported a weak evidence base for the benefits of puberty suppression and recommended a rigorous trial to assess risks and benefits. Summary: The legal challenge could affect whether recruitment for the trial proceeds while the court considers the claim. They are seeking permission in the High Court to challenge the approval; any court timetable is undetermined at this time.