On 19 December 2025, the regulations for puberty blocker prescribing took effect. These regulations have superseded the Ministry's Position Statement which provided guidance for prescribers prior to the regulations taking effect. As this guidance is now out of date, it has been removed from the Ministry's website.
Purpose
This position statement accompanied the release of an evidence brief which examined the safety and long-term impacts of puberty blockers when used in the context of gender-affirming care.
The statement summarised the brief’s findings and set out the Ministry of Health’s expectations for their use.
In addition, it outlined our next steps that will ensure young people with gender incongruence and gender dysphoria have access to quality care. It also provided relevant information for health professionals, rainbow communities, and the general public.
Background
In September 2022, the Ministry of Health updated its position on the safety and reversibility of puberty blockers when used for gender-affirming care. This was in light of work underway in other jurisdictions examining the clinical effects of puberty blockers on adolescents. The evidence brief examines the risks and benefits of puberty blockers when used for gender-affirming care.
Publishing information
- Publication date
- HP number
- 9068
- Copyright status
-
Owned by the Ministry of Health and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence.
