Doctor fined $28k for refusing to give puberty blocker injection

A doctor in Canada has been fined $28,100 for refusing to give puberty blockers to a teenage boy.

The family doctor refused to inject the puberty blocker drug, Lupron, due to his Christian belief that God made people male and female. However, the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal rejected his right to conscientiously object, reasoning that it is “not medication for gender reassignment” because the drug prevents puberty rather than inducing physical characteristics of the opposite sex.

The NHS has ‘indefinitely’ banned the controversial drugs due to the lack of evidence that it is a safe or effective treatment for gender dysphoria. Approximately 98 per cent of children who take puberty blockers go on to take cross-sex hormones.

Rewriting facts

The doctor recorded the incident in his records, writing: “I noticed that the injection is for gender re-assignment as patient is already in the waiting room with (her) mother. I called mother into the room and explained to her that I would not be able to give the injection. Based on my religious belief and cultural background.”

But the tribunal admitted that it “corrected” the doctor’s notes to “properly reflect Child Q’s gender”.

While the tribunal accepted that the doctor was not motivated by “an intention to discriminate” against the child, he was deemed to have caused “injury to dignity, feelings and self-respect” of the gender-confused 14-year-old.

The teen received puberty blockers from a walk-in clinic on the same day.

‘Violates conscience’

The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, a Canadian civil liberties group, stated: “Doctors should not be required to personally participate in medical treatment that genuinely violates their conscience or religious beliefs especially where reasonable alternatives are available to patients.”

Canadian columnist Amy Hamm wrote in The National Post: “The message this sends to all health-care providers in B.C. is clear: provide trans health care to minors – or suffer the consequences.

She added: “It is unconscionable that he has been punished for his refusal to participate in a known medical scandal”.

Gender-critical campaigner Billboard Chris posted on X: “Doctors are now being fined for refusing to violate their conscience, and for upholding the Hippocratic Oath. This must be appealed!”