PATHA President, Jennifer Shields, and Vice-president Dr Rona Carroll, have published op-ed pieces about the current public consultation on regulations for puberty blocking medication.

In her piece in The Spinoff, Gender-affirming care affects a small minority – so why the public consultation? Jennifer Shields argues that the process is flawed and appears to prioritise political objectives over evidence-based care.

"The government is directing the ministry to implement restrictions on one population’s right to access healthcare without good cause. They are rushing this process, hoping we don’t notice over the summer break... This process is discriminatory, already doing harm, and has the potential to do massive and irreversible damage to a generation of trans children."

In her piece in The Conversation, NZ is consulting the public on regulations for puberty blockers – this should be a medical decision not a political one, Dr Rona Carroll highlights the inappropriateness of involving the public in a medical decision for a vulnerable minority group.

"Medical decisions should be guided by scientific or clinical concerns and remain free from political interference. Banning or restricting access to puberty blockers would go against best-practice recommendations from major medical bodies – including the Endocrine Society, the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, the American Psychiatric Association and the American Psychological Association – and likely cause harm to young people."

You can make a submission to the public consultation here. See this guide by InsideOUT for suggestions about how to make a submission.