Cass Report

[Emily's Cat]

Without studies such as the one under discussion, I'm not sure how we can claim to know this is true.

Without studies, we can't know if taking insulin as a means to control diabetes is the same as taking insulin when you have a pancreas with normal function.

 

[Emily's Cat]

This thread has gone remarkably quiet.

US Thanksgiving - not surprising that most people are busy with family. It's a major national holiday, with no relation to religion.

 

[Elaedith]

I don't think there's much more to say until the results of the trials are peer reviewed and published.

If you're bored, you might be interested in the comments of the most vocal of the trans folk on the other forum I belong to, all prompted by the BBC article I linked above:

Why would they think the trial is being conducted by SEGM?

 

[Emily's Cat]

Why would they think the trial is being conducted by SEGM?

Answered by the question: Thinking is the critical element in short supply here.

 

[d4m10n]

Without studies, we can't know if taking insulin as a means to control diabetes is the same as taking insulin when you have a pancreas with normal function.

This might be a good analogy if insulin was intended as a temporary measure.

 

[theprestige]

Politicians should not be asked to push their noses into clinical trials.

Why not? Elected officials have a duty to inform themselves and regulate where necessary.

 

[Rolfe]

AFAICT the answer is "No."

I'd've guessed this would be the general consensus on a forum for science enjoyers, but once again politics is the mindkiller.

I don't find this claim particularly persuasive; Tavistock did not have any control group nor any randomization process. We could in theory generate matched controls from the set of GNC kids who sought treatment at the Tavi but who never received either blockers or hormones, but the reasons for their non-treatment will likely be confounded with psychological desistance.

If this was going to be a well-designed trial you might have a ghost of a point. But the study design is terrible.

 

[Rolfe]

I have qualms about the entire proposed trials. But this is appalling. Egg harvesting is painful and risky to begin with, and that's assuming a post-menarche female! Stimulating ovaries to mature eggs while simultaneously blocking the hormones that prompt egg maturation seems insanely reckless and negligent.

I don't know for sure that they intend to do this. I was following the inference. All I have actually read has been about boys. That article said that boys in that position either couldn't ejaculate at all, or were unwilling to try, instead opting to have a piece of a testicle surgically removed and frozen in the hope that it could later be stimulated to produce sperm in vitro. Doesn't sound much better.

 

[Emily's Cat]

This might be a good analogy if insulin was intended as a temporary measure.

Oh FFS.

Without studies, we can't know if taking opioids as a means to control pain after a surgery is the same as taking opioids when you have no pain at all.

 

[Emily's Cat]

I don't know for sure that they intend to do this. I was following the inference. All I have actually read has been about boys. That article said that boys in that position either couldn't ejaculate at all, or were unwilling to try, instead opting to have a piece of a testicle surgically removed and frozen in the hope that it could later be stimulated to produce sperm in vitro. Doesn't sound much better.

No, it doesn't sound any better. Does that even work? Can a frozen chunk of testicle be induced to function properly at all, or is this just some wishful thinking on the assumption that future science will perform miracles?

 

[Rolfe]

God alone knows.

 

[Pixel42]

Campaigners question ethics of puberty-blocker trial in legal letter to Streeting

Researchers and the UK regulator say the study is going to help improve care for children questioning their gender.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[d4m10n]

Gender-affirming medical treatment for adolescents: a critical reflection on “effective” treatment outcomes

Gender-affirming medical treatment for adolescents: a critical reflection on “effective” treatment outcomes - PMC

The scrutiny surrounding gender-affirming medical treatment (GAMT) for youth has increased, particularly concerning the limited evidence on long-term treatment outcomes. The Standards of Care 8 by the World Professional Association for Transgender ...

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Once again, the Dutch are leading the way in gender-affirming medical treatment (GAMT) by encouraging “critical reflection on the normative assumption that GAMT must inevitably lead to 'positive' outcomes to justify its provision.”

 

[Ziggurat]

Once again, the Dutch are leading the way in gender-affirming medical treatment (GAMT) by encouraging “critical reflection on the normative assumption that GAMT must inevitably lead to 'positive' outcomes to justify its provision.”

"Allowing space for these complex experiences, rather than trying to avoid or mask them, could offer relief for both healthcare providers and TGD adolescents and foster a more honest care environment."​

The irony of this sentence is just stunning. It's a perfect description of why we SHOULD NOT jump to gender transition to treat people with gender dysphoria. Because that's what transition does: it avoids or masks the complex dysphoric feelings that they are experiencing. And if you want honest care, then let's start with being honest that medical transition doesn't actually change your sex, that you probably won't pass no matter what you do (especially when it comes to sexual partners), and if you transition before puberty you will be perpetually and irreversibly stunted in your development as a human.

ETA: and talk about motivated reasoning.

"if GAMT does not necessarily require demonstrating improvement to justify its provision, what should its objectives be?"​

They're explicitly trying to work out a new rationalization for what they already want to do, rather than start with an objective and work out the best course of action to achieve that. But they've got their heads so far up their own asses that they don't even realize that they're telling on themselves.

 

[Pixel42]

Long waits and ‘unacceptable’ lack of data at NHS gender clinics in England, review finds

Impossible to judge safety or effectiveness as adult clinics not systematically recording outcomes, Dr David Levy finds

www.theguardian.com

 

[d4m10n]

Over at the all things trans thread, I posted a copy of the only closely reported news article to come out of the first successful lawsuit by a detransitioner against her former medical team over on the American side of the pond. It occurs to me now that this development probably makes more sense to discuss in this thread, seeing as it's squarely about the ongoing tribulations of youth gender medicine.

Post in thread 'Transwomen are not Women - Part 15'

Feb 2, 2026

For those interested in the details of this case (Varian v. Einhorn) keep an eye on Ben Ryan over at Substack.

It appears Ryan's article itself is paywalled; I've attached a PDF copy.

• d4m10n

• 

 

[Pixel42]

Cass has given an interview to the BBC:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0k1vkmxgd6o

 

[d4m10n]

They Were Called “Transphobes” for Rejecting Child Transition

 

[Pixel42]

Puberty blockers trial paused after MHRA raises safety concerns

The medicines regulator is suggesting the minimum age limit for trial should be raised to 14.

www.bbc.co.uk

A clinical trial assessing the risks and benefits of puberty-blocking drugs in children who question their gender has been paused after safety concerns were raised by the UK medicines watchdog.

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is set to hold talks with King's College London, whose researchers are leading the trial, next week to address concerns, the government said.

Details of the trial, which would involve more than 220 children aged between about 11 and 15, were announced in November after getting approval from the MHRA and Health Research Authority.

An MHRA spokesperson said the "safety and wellbeing" of participants - yet to be recruited - was "paramount".

In a letter, published on the government website on Friday, the MHRA expressed concern over the current age limit for participants in the trial.

"Since potentially significant and, as yet, unquantified risk of long-term biological harms is present to participants and biological safety has not been definitively demonstrated in this proposed cohort, at the very least, there should be a graded/stepwise approach starting with those aged 14 as the lower limit of eligibility," it reads.

 

[Planigale]

This might be a good analogy if insulin was intended as a temporary measure.

And if the studies hadn't been done. E.g. Insulin clamp studies.

Glucose clamp technique - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org