22 November 2025
NHS England Announces 'Pathways' Puberty Blocker Clinical Trial
Health Legal Trans UK
NHS England announced the Pathways trial, a randomised clinical study led by Professor Emily Simonoff at King's College London involving 226 children under 16 with gender incongruence. Comparing outcomes between those receiving puberty blockers immediately and those with a one-year delayed start, the £10.7 million trial represents the only pathway through which puberty blockers can currently be prescribed in the UK following the indefinite ban.
Impact & Significance
The first rigorous randomised trial of puberty blockers for gender dysphoria in the UK, commissioned following the Cass Review's finding of a weak evidence base, expected to run from 2026 to 2031.
Reference Record
- Date
- 22 November 2025
- Era
- 2020-present
- Sources
- 2
Editorially reviewed — reviewed · last reviewed 2026-08-10.
