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The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has alerted pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacy owners via email regarding new emergency legislation governing the prescribing and supply of puberty-suppressing hormones, commonly known as 'puberty blockers', for children and young people under 18 in England, Wales, and Scotland. The regulations apply to gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues, used to suppress puberty as part of treating gender incongruence or gender dysphoria in individuals under 18. Effective from 3 June 2024, new private prescriptions for GnRH analogues from prescribers in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland who are not UK registered are banned from being dispensed in Great Britain for patients under 18. The emergency ban on these medicines will remain in effect until September 3, 2024, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) announced on 29 May, stating that the action has been taken to address risks to "patient safety."

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Hypovase (prazosin) 500 microgram tablets, manufactured by drug major Pfizer, will remain out of stock until mid-January 2022 due to a manufacturing issue. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England and Improvement (NHSE&I) have issued a supply disruption alert for the medicine that is used to treat heart-related troubles. Pfizer, the sole supplier of prazosin 500mg tablets in the UK, is out of stock from late November 2021, and had discontinued the Hypovase® (prazosin) 1mg tablets in May 2021. Advice for healthcare professionals In the given situation, prescribers need to review all affected patients to discuss management plans. Meanwhile, alternative medicine alpha blockers remain available to support an uplift in demand.

HayMax, manufacturer of organic, drug-free allergen barrier balms for hay fever, dust, and pet allergies, has recently won the 2023 Global 100 awards. The HayMax balm, applied around nostril rims and eye bones, is an innovative allergen blocker against pollen, dust, and pet allergens entering the body. Independent university research confirms it traps over a third of pollen, along with dust mites and pet dander, before they enter the body, according to HayMax. The drug-free balm is Soil Association-certified organic, comprising 100 per cent natural ingredients. Safe for children, pregnant, and breastfeeding women, it holds the Vegetarian Society Approved trademark. This award has come as a complete surprise to us at HayMax," said HayMax MD, Max Wiseberg. "Being held in such high regard through this global recognition is truly delightful." "The Global 100 aims to offer readers insight into firms that excel in their chosen specialties, and the award underscores hard work and innovation of various companies," said its organisers.

A final review of gender services provided by the NHS has uncovered significant shortcomings, leaving thousands of vulnerable children questioning their gender identity without adequate support. The report, led by Dr. Hilary Cass, a prominent consultant paediatrician, highlights the use of unproven treatments and the detrimental impact of the polarized trans debate on gender care provision. The investigation, commissioned by NHS England in 2020, focused on the Tavistock and Portman NHS mental health trust's gender identity development services (Gids), which treated around 9,000 children and young people between 2009 and 2020. Shockingly, the review found that despite limited evidence of effectiveness and potential health risks, puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones were routinely administered. Dr. Cass emphasized that the "rationale for early puberty suppression remains unclear, with weak evidence regarding the impact on gender dysphoria, mental or psychosocial health. The effect on cognitive and psychosexual development remains unknown."

NHS England's decision to forgo commissioning puberty suppressing hormones (PSH) for children and young people, citing insufficient evidence of their safety and clinical effectiveness, follows a comprehensive review conducted by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in 2020. The clinical report underscores that "PSH treatment options will not be part of routine commissioning" for people under the age of 18 in England grappling with gender incongruence or dysphoria. The NHS England review analysed nine observational studies on Gonadotrophin Releasing Hormone Analogues (GnRHa) and found no statistically significant difference in gender dysphoria, mental health, body image, and psychosocial functioning among children and adolescents treated with GnRHa. Duncan Rudkin, chief executive of the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), acknowledged the challenges faced by pharmacy professionals regarding prescriptions for puberty suppressing hormones, stating:

London's Great Ormond Street Hospital and Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool are poised to introduce groundbreaking gender-related services in England, following the closure of the Gender Identity Development Service (Gids) operated by the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust. Amid concerns expressed by hospital executives regarding the closure of Gids, with leaked emails revealing apprehensions about appointment cancellations and inadequate communication with the new services, the National Health Services England (NHSE) has confirmed "its commitment to ensuring continuity of care for patients already accessing endocrine care in GIDS." NHSE's decision to transition to regional services stems from a 2022 interim review, led by Dr. Hilary Cass, which highlighted the need for improved support structures for gender-distressed youth. It emphasized a significant increase in referrals to Gids, surpassing 5,000 in 2021/22, compared to less than 250 a decade ago.