JK Rowling expresses joy as High Court judge upholds ban on puberty blockers for trans children

JK Rowling yesterday praised the Supreme Court ruling upholding a ban on puberty blockers for transgender children.

The Harry Potter author and women’s rights activist described the ruling as “a return to evidence-based medicine for treating vulnerable young people.”

Her comments came hours after a Supreme Court judge ruled that an emergency ban on the prescription of puberty blockers was lawful.

Judge Lang has dismissed a judicial review brought by trans activists challenging an order banning puberty blockers under rarely used measures.

The order was made in May by the then Conservative health minister, Victoria Atkins. Campaign group TransActual had alleged that Ms Atkins acted unlawfully by failing to properly consult the public.

JK Rowling took to X/Twitter to voice her opinion on the ruling

Her comments came hours after a Supreme Court judge ruled that an emergency ban on the prescription of puberty blockers was lawful.

Judge Lang ruled that the Minister of Health ‘reasonably considered that it was essential to issue the measure as soon as possible in order to protect children and young people from the irresponsible prescribing of puberty blockers’.

According to the judge, a consultation would have taken five to six months and an attempt could have been made to frustrate the system by starting treatment with puberty blockers before the ban came into effect.

Ms Rowling wrote on X: ‘The Supreme Court rules that the ban on puberty blockers in the UK is lawful. We appear to be finally returning to treating vulnerable young people on the basis of evidence-based medicine, rather than the unproven claims of ideological lobby groups.’

Yesterday’s ruling was also welcomed by the current Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, who confirmed the findings of the ground-breaking Cass Review.

Mr Streeting said: ‘Children’s healthcare should be based on evidence. Dr Cass’s review found there was insufficient evidence that puberty blockers are safe and effective for children with gender dysphoria and gender incongruence.

‘We must therefore proceed with caution and care when dealing with this vulnerable group of young people.’

A protester at a Trans Pride march in London on July 27 holds a sign calling Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting a transphobe

Women’s rights groups welcomed yesterday’s decision, saying ‘Wes Streeting demonstrated that the new government is committed to taking an evidence-based approach to protecting the wellbeing of children with gender issues’ (Photo: Wes Streeting)

Sir Keir Starmer also said that ‘evidence-led’ care should be the basis for paediatrics. The prime minister’s spokesman said: ‘We are of course pleased that the court has upheld the ban.’

It comes after the Cass Review into gender identity services concluded in April that children were being put on a path to irreversible change based on scant medical evidence. Dr Hilary Cass, who led the review, said gender medicine was “built on shaky foundations”.

NHS clinics were banned from prescribing puberty blockers to children a month before the review was published. But the ban did not apply to private clinics, with Dr Cass’ review highlighting the loophole.

The emergency ban was intended to close the gap that could be exploited by private clinics and European prescribers.

Women’s rights groups welcomed yesterday’s decision. Maya Forstater of Sex Matters said: ‘By upholding his predecessor’s ban, Wes Streeting showed that the new government is determined to take an evidence-based approach to protecting the welfare of children with gender issues.’

Chay Brown of TransActual said the group was disappointed, adding: “The judgment relies heavily on the discredited Cass investigation.”