‘Children being put at risk’ by anti-Cass misinformation

Activists must stop trying to undermine the landmark Cass Review through “misinformation”, its author has warned.

In an interview with The Times, highly respected paediatrician Dr Hilary Cass said: “If you deliberately try to undermine a report that has looked at the evidence of children’s healthcare, then that’s unforgivable. You are putting children at risk by doing that.”

The day before the final report was published, a trans activist on X claimed the review had “disregarded nearly all studies” over their methodology, while Stonewall told MPs that around “100 studies” had not been included.

Misleading

Labour MP Dawn Butler criticised the report in the House of Commons based on Stonewall’s claims.

After checking with Dr Cass, she later admitted she “may have misled” the House in quoting the LGBT lobby group’s briefing.

The clinician explained that only research deemed to be of moderate or high quality was used for the report’s conclusions, accounting for 60 out of 103 studies.

A Stonewall spokesman said it didn’t understand “how and why research had been graded, and the consequent impact this would have on the report’s recommendations and implementation”, but confirmed that it had updated MPs with Cass’ clarifications.

‘Weak’

Earlier this month, NHS England agreed to review the transgender procedures it provides for both children and adults following the Cass Review’s final report.

In a letter seen by The Daily Telegraph, NHS England’s National Director for Specialised Commissioning, John Stewart, said it will launch an evidence review and public consultation on cross-sex hormones for young people.

Dr Cass concluded that giving trans drugs to children is “based on remarkably weak evidence”, and urged the NHS to review its use of cross-sex hormones and ensure that gender-confused children receive a holistic assessment of all their needs.

NHS England has ended the routine prescription of puberty blockers to under 18s pending the outcome of possible future drug trials. Scotland’s Sandyford Clinic has also announced that it is pausing the prescription of the drugs to new patients.