NHS Gender Identity Review: What are the important findings?

Dr Hilary Cass's report suggests that children have actually been let down by lack of evidence on medical interventions. Yes, the gender identity services by the NHS indicate that young people and children have been let down due to a lack of research on medical interventions.

Dr Hilary Cass suggested that her report was not centered around defining trans identities or what it means to be trans. The report, as per Dr Hilary Cass was about  helping the increasing number of young people and children who are seeking support from the NHS regarding their gender identity.

Take a look at the key findings of the report by Dr Hilary Cass.

Is the evidence sufficient?

Dr Hilary Cass said that "this is an area of remarkably weak evidence". This has been written in the foreword to the report.

However, while she says that there is remarkably weak evidence in the matter, Dr Hilary Cass said that the results of the studies are actually exagerrated by the people on both the sides of the debate in order to make their viewpoints stronger. she further says that the reality is such that there isn't any good evidence on the long-term consequences of interventions in order to handle distress related to gender identity.

It was in the year 2020 when Dr Hilar Cass started her inquiry. At this time, the evidence base relating to masculinity, feminising cross-sex hormones, and puberty blockers, was actually not that strong. Moreover, there was widespread misinformation on both sides of the debate that is accessible online.

The University of York was commissioned by Dr Hilary Cass to take into consideration systematic reviews of the evidence on important issues, like puberty blockers. The University found that there still exists a lack of rich evidence in the area. As a part of the research, the York academics attempted to document the results seen among a total of 9000 young people who were treated by the gender identity development service of the NHS between the years 2009 to 2020. However, it all got thwarted.

The novel NHS services for such young people must collect the evidence of the treatments.

The care for such youth and the debate

There exists a debate on how such young people need to be cared for. The viewpoints are polarized. Some health experts are of the view that most people who present to the gender services will actually continue to have long-term trans identity. These, as per the clinicians should be encouraged to access a medical pathway at an initial stage.

However, many are of the view that the report is medicalizing young people and children, and the difficulties are manifested in the form of gender-associated distress and gender confusion. "The toxicity of the debate is exceptional,” suggests the report.