LNP Health Minister Tim Nicholls has today released the Independent review of Stage 1 and Stage 2 hormone therapies in Queensland’s public paediatrics gender services (Vine Review), and completely ignored the expert recommendations.
The Vine Review makes clear that, of the policy options considered:
- Option 1 (continue the ban) carries only risks, in terms of the evidence base, the legal, ethical and social considerations and governance, regulatory and oversight considerations; whereas
- Option 2 (lift the ban) and Option 3 (lift the ban with additional measures for compliance-based oversight and monitoring) offer the benefits that come from the appropriate use of puberty blockers and gender affirming hormone therapy.
The Health Minister refers to concerns about “low quality preliminary evidence”, but this decision ignores the Review’s findings that this evidence “increasingly suggests” that the appropriate use of puberty blockers and gender affirming hormone treatment benefit young people with gender dysphoria.
Moreover, the review’s “Advice to inform policy and implementation decisions” in Chapter 16 states:
“It is not uncommon for paediatric medicine to be grounded in research of low quality, quantity and/or certainty. Particularly in paediatric medicine, off-label prescribing is accepted, common and often forms part of a standard of care.
“Notwithstanding the diverse views regarding treatment in this area, there are many highly experienced practitioners who have followed patients over extended periods and many patients who have received treatment successfully.
Lines attributable to Queensland Greens MP for Maiwar Michael Berkman:
“The Premier and the Health Minister have completely ignored the findings of their own review, and vulnerable children will suffer as a result.
“The LNP’s own review makes clear that the evidence supports the appropriate use of puberty blockers and gender affirming hormone treatment to treat young people with gender dysphoria.
“We now have two reviews in as many years that show gender affirming treatment is not only appropriate, but life saving.
“Once again, the callous, rightwing extremists in the LNP are only interested in waging a culture war that harms the trans community and vulnerable children.
“Instead of fixing the housing crisis, the climate crisis, and the legitimate failures in our underfunded health care system, the LNP is fixated on culture war crap. Queenslanders deserve better."