𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Wes Streeting is facing fresh calls to halt a controversial NHS puberty blocker trial after a petition against it passed 100,000 signatures. Critics have warned the clinical study, which will involve more than 200 children as young as eight, should be axed amid concerns around harm to youngsters.

The petition on the official Parliament website, which was launched on January 8, saw a surge in support after being shared by Harry Potter author JK Rowing. She said: “I’ve signed. This is an unethical experiment on children who can’t give meaningful consent.”

Labour MP Jonathan Hinder insisted the petition shows that the Health Secretary “must think again”.

Mr Hinder said: “The speed of this petition reaching 100k signatures shows the strong public opposition to this.

“Labour voters oppose puberty blockers by a margin of four to one. Wes Streeting must think again.”

Helen Joyce, of campaign group Sex Matters, added: “Most people really, truly hate the idea of harming children in the name of ideology.

“The Government needs to take note – people loathe the idea of the puberty blocker trial and won’t forgive anyone who is involved.”

Professor Karol Sikora, a consultant oncologist, said it was “good to see this petition doing well”.

He added: “I’ve spent over half a century in medicine and I certainly do not approve of using puberty blocking medicine on healthy young children. It is dangerous and wrong.”

The petition, which was started by psychotherapist James Esses, will be considered for a debate by MPs after passing the milestone of 100,000 names.

A trial was recommended by the Cass Review into children’s gender care, which concluded that the quality of research claiming to show the benefits of puberty blockers for youngsters with gender dysphoria was “poor”.

But Mr Streeting last month admitted the decision to go ahead with the study was “one that I wrestle with on a daily basis”.

He said he was “uncomfortable” both with the study but also with the ban on puberty blockers, which was made permanent in December 2024.

Mr Streeting told MPs on the Health and Social Care Committee: “All the way through, I’ve had to weigh up risk of harm to children and young people, which is why it’s not straightforward, why I’ve lent on clinical advice from people far more qualified than us to make these decisions.

“But this is not easy, and it is not a comfortable decision, and it’s one that I wrestle with on a daily basis.”

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage have both called for the trial to be axed.

The Department for Health and Social Care has been contacted for comment.

*You can view the petition here https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/751839