A study examining the impact of puberty blockers on children won’t be published for political reasons, according to the study’s overseeing doctor. The study is being withheld because Dr. Johanna Olson-Kennedy believes its findings “might be weaponized” in arguments against transgender medical treatment for minors, according to her interview with the New York Times.
The issue of administering puberty blockers to children is highly politicized and central to multiple legal battles. More than 20 states have banned such treatments for minors. The Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling on the matter next summer.
Dr. Olson-Kennedy is an advocate for transgender rights. She has also served as an expert witness in cases against states that have banned adolescent puberty blockers. Her team’s study involved 95 adolescents, averaging 11 years old, who were treated with puberty blockers to prevent the development of breasts and the natural deepening of their voices. The study followed these children for two years to track changes in their mental health.
Dr. Olson-Kennedy stated that the puberty blockers didn’t lead to improvements in mental health. She explained that the children were already doing well when the study began.
However, the Times reported that this conclusion seemed to contradict an earlier description of the group. The earlier description indicated that one-quarter of the adolescents were depressed or suicidal before treatment.
According to Olson-Kennedy, her team hasn’t published the data because they don’t want their findings to be used politically.
“I do not want our work to be weaponized. It has to be exactly on point, clear, and concise. And that takes time,” she said.
Research on the use of puberty blockers in children is limited and findings vary. A study by the Sax Institute Review in Australia found that positive mental health outcomes outnumbered negative ones. The Journal of Sexual Medicine concluded that puberty suppression may be valuable in managing gender dysphoria in adolescents.
Conversely, a four-year study in the U.K. found no evidence supporting the use of transitioning drugs for children. The American College of Pediatricians stated there is no long-term study demonstrating the safety or efficacy of puberty blockers.
Between 2017 and 2021, more than 120,000 children ages 6 to 17 were treated for gender dysphoria, according to Reuters. Puberty blockers haven’t received FDA approval for treating this condition. A Washington Post poll indicated that 68% of Americans oppose providing puberty blockers to children ages 10 to 14. About 58% are against hormone treatments for those ages 15 to 17.
