BMA takes neutral position on Cass review recommendations

Yui Mok/PA Wire

By Sarah Lowden

The British Medical Association has said it will “retain a neutral position” on the recommendations of the Cass Review of gender identity services for children and young people.

The union has previously called for a pause in the implementation of the review’s recommendations while it carried out an evaluation.

Earlier in the summer the union was critical of the proposal to ban the prescribing of puberty blockers to young people with gender dysphoria.

However a vote by the BMA Council last week clarified that the evaluation work will be carried out “neutrally”.

BMA chair of council, Professor Phil Banfield said the work would not try to “replicate” the Cass Review but would listen to those with “lived experience either as patients or as clinicians” and “consider the link between evidence and recommendation”.

He added: “While considerable focus has been placed on access to puberty blockers, the Cass Review also included wide-ranging recommendations around care for children and young people with gender dysphoria.