New Zealand Bans New Puberty Blocker Prescriptions for Kids With Gender Dysphoria

Access to the drugs will be withheld until the conclusion of a UK clinical trial, expected in 2031.
New Zealand Bans New Puberty Blocker Prescriptions for Kids With Gender Dysphoria
New Zealander Health Minister Simeon Brown looks on at Parliament in Wellington, New Zealand, on Jan. 28, 2025. Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images
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New Zealand has announced a ban on new prescriptions of puberty-blocking medication for young people with gender dysphoria, aligning the country with similar policy shifts in the UK, Sweden, Finland, and Norway.

The drugs—gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues—will remain available to those who need to take them for conditions with established clinical evidence, including early-onset puberty, endometriosis, or prostate cancer.

Rex Widerstrom
Rex Widerstrom
Author
Rex Widerstrom is a New Zealand-based reporter with over 40 years of experience in media, including radio and print. He is currently a presenter for Hutt Radio.