CHILDREN AND PARENTS ARE TOLD BY DOCTORS THAT THESE DRUGS ARE SAFE
WOMEN IN THEIR TEENS AND TWENTIES ARE NOW SUFFERING FROM DEBILITATING PAIN AND BONE LOSS
THE SAME DRUGS ARE USED IN HIGH DOSES TO CHEMICALLY CASTRATE SEX OFFENDERS
[Notes to ourselves: Why are these things perscribed at all? They are banned in some countries. Make this article shorter.]
Children and their parents are being told by their doctors that puberty blockers are safe. That they are harmless. But is that the case? Let's look at the facts.
Puberty blockers such as Lupron are prescribed for a variety of medical reasons: suppressing precocious puberty, pausing ovulation for women going through chemotherapy, treating cancer, treating endometriosis, and pausing puberty for children experiencing gender dysphoria. Gender dysphoria describes the mismatch a person may have between their biological sex and their gender identity.
The number of children being perscribed puberty blockers has skyrocketed in the last few years. The number of children who started on puberty-blockers or hormones totaled 17,683 over a five year period, rising from 2,394 in 2017 to 5,063 in 2021. However, these numbers are probably a significant undercount since they don’t include children whose records did not specify a gender dysphoria diagnosis or whose treatment wasn’t covered by insurance. (Reuters, 10-6-22).
Considering the dramatic increase in children on these drugs, it's important to evaluate whether they are really safe or not.
The FDA currently has over 25,000 adverse event reports for Lupron products including more than 1500 deaths. Physical reactions include stroke, muscle atrophy and debilitating bone and joint pain. (KTNV, 2-11-19).
In a study of side effects of puberty blockers (gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists), almost all (96%) reported side effects during treatment; 80% reported side effects lasting longer than 6 months after stopping treatment. Almost half (45%) reported side effects they considered irreversible, including memory loss, insomnia, and hot flashes. (NCBI, 3-15-18)
The drug also has serious psychological side effects, including suicidal thoughts, depression, psychiatric episodes, crying, anger, aggression, convulsions, and seizures. (Lupron Depot Ped)
A particularly alarming fact is that these same puberty blockers given to children are also used in high doses to chemically castrate sex offenders.
Some may say the lower doses are harmless, and yet countless people are coming forward to testify that taking these drugs has ruined their lives. Women in their teens and twenties are experiencing debilitating health problems normally encountered in the elderly. They are also saying they weren't properly notified of these risks by their medical providers, and that once they notified their medical providers of the gruesome side effects, their medical providers didn't do much to help them.
"For years, Sharissa Derricott, 30, had no idea why her body seemed to be failing. At 21, a surgeon replaced her deteriorated jaw joint. She’s been diagnosed with degenerative disc disease and fibromyalgia, a chronic pain condition. Her teeth are shedding enamel and cracking. A jaw x-ray from one of Sharissa Derricott's many surgeries sits on the table at her parents’ home in Lawton, Oklahoma. A jaw X-ray from one of Sharissa Derricott’s surgeries sits on a table. At 21, a surgeon replaced her deteriorated jaw joint. None of it made sense to her until she discovered a community of women online who described similar symptoms and have one thing in common: All had taken a drug called Lupron (See other womens' stories at Reveal News)."
For the children being put on puberty blockers to alleviate gender dysphoria, some are being given these drugs as early as 8 years old, allowing them to progress to sex hormones as soon as 12 or 13.
The current prevailing medical perspective is that puberty blockers are a safe way to pause puberty while a child decides which gender they are. According to the New York Times, studies show that the drugs have eased some patients’ gender dysphoria.
“Anxiety drains away,” said Dr. Norman Spack, who pioneered the use of puberty blockers for trans youth in the United States and is one of many physicians who believe the drugs can be lifesaving. “You can see these kids being so relieved.” (New York Times, 11-14-22)
"But as an increasing number of adolescents identify as transgender — in the United States, an estimated 300,000 ages 13 to 17 and an untold number who are younger — concerns are growing among some medical professionals about the consequences of the drugs, a New York Times examination found. The questions are fueling government reviews in Europe, prompting a push for more research and leading some prominent specialists to reconsider at what age to prescribe them and for how long. A small number of doctors won’t recommend them at all." (New York Times, 11-14-22)
The drugs suppress estrogen and testosterone, hormones that help develop the reproductive system but also affect the bones, the brain and other parts of the body.
"The analysis commissioned by The Times examined seven studies from the Netherlands, Canada and England involving about 500 transgender teens from 1998 through 2021. Researchers observed that while on blockers, the teens did not gain any bone density, on average — and lost significant ground compared to their peers, according to the analysis by Farid Foroutan, an expert on health research methods at McMaster University in Canada." (New York Times, 11-14-22)
“There’s going to be a price,” said Dr. Sundeep Khosla, who leads a bone research lab at the Mayo Clinic. “And the price is probably going to be some deficit in skeletal mass.” (New York Times, 11-14-22)
“The most difficult question is whether puberty blockers do indeed provide valuable time for children and young people to consider their options, or whether they effectively ‘lock in’ children and young people to a treatment pathway,” wrote Dr. Hilary Cass, a pediatrician leading an independent review in England of medical treatments of adolescents presenting as transgender.
Advocates of these drugs for gender transitioning children argue that every drug can have risks and that the benefits outweigh the risks. Yet we can't really know for sure, since there is scant long term research regarding the efficacy of puberty blockers for gender transitioning children. This is a new medical procedure for children, so there wouldn't be much long term data. It was only in 2008 that the Endocrine Society approved puberty suppressors as a treatment for transgender adolescents as young as 12 years old. (KHN)
"Long-awaited research funded by the National Institutes of Health could provide more guidance. In 2015, four prominent American gender clinics were awarded $7 million to examine the effects of blockers and hormone treatment on transgender youth. In explaining their study, the researchers pointed out that the United States had produced no data on the impact or safety of blockers, particularly among transgender patients under 12, leaving a “gap in evidence for this practice.” Seven years in, they have yet to report key outcomes of their work, but say the findings are coming soon." (New York Times, 11-14-22)
A Reuters examination of a range of transgender treatments also found scant research into the long-term effects.
In a 2020 paper, 31 psychologists, neuroscientists and hormone experts from around the world urged more study of the effects of blockers on the brain.
“If the brain is expecting to receive those hormones at a certain time and doesn’t, what happens?” said Dr. Sheri Berenbaum, head of a gender research lab at Penn State, and one of the authors of the paper. “We don’t know.” (New York Times, 11-14-22)
An official review from the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the UK found that the evidence for using puberty blocking drugs to treat young people struggling with their gender identity is "very low", an official review has found. (BBC, 4-1-21)
Even more shocking, many of these parents are told that their kids will commit suicide if they don't put them on puberty blockers. The conversation is framed as, "Would you rather have a dead daughter or a live son?" However, once again, there is very little valid long term data on this issue of children transitioning.
Also, there are studies that show for most children, feelings of gender dysphoria will be naturally alleviated by going through puberty. The studies state that the majority of children (80-95%) diagnosed with gender dysphoria did not desire to be the other sex by puberty, with most growing up to identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual, with or without therapeutic intervention. (Endocrinology Adult and Pediatric: Reproductive Endocrinology), (Dulcan's Textbook of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry).
Some people may argue that the risks of using these drugs are exaggerated. And yet countries like the U.K. and Sweden have already put limits on puberty blockers for gender transitioning minors.
In the UK, Chief Cass, a former president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, concluded in a recently published report that the Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS) was not a “safe or viable long-term option.” (The Week, 8-2-22)
Even several states in the U.S. are starting to put forward legislation to limit or outlaw medical transitioning for children. However, other states are doubling down. This year, California has made themselves a refuge for parents who want to give their kids puberty blockers for gender transitioning. California set to become a refuge for transgender health care. (Cal Matters, 9-29-22)
We also think there are serious questions about giving children puberty blockers for "Central Precocious Puberty (CPP)," which is early onset puberty. Studies show that girls are going through puberty earlier. Girls are entering puberty about a year earlier than they did back in the 1970s, according to global data on breast development. (WebMD). While researchers don't know exactly why this is happening, there are theories. Some say it's because children on average have more body fat than they did in the past. Others believe it is a result of more endocrine-disrupting chemicals in the environment. Regardless of the cause, is the solution really to give these girls drugs with serious medical side effects, especially when there can be detrimental effects on their bone development and mental health? These are serious questions that need to be addressed.
Here's another important question: Can parents always trust the pharmaceutical companies selling these puberty blockers? The largest pharmaceutical lawsuit in U.S. history was filed against TAP Pharmaceutical Products (a now defunct company which produced Lupron). In 2001, the lawsuit was filed for their use of fraudulent drug pricing and fraudulent marketing practices. The company offered various incentives to healthcare providers and other customers in the form of free drugs, trips to resorts, medical equipment, and consultation services for prescribing Lupron to the beneficiaries of Medicare programme. TAP ended up having to pay $875 million. (Pharmaceutical-Technology, 6-25-19). TAP defrauded Medicare of millions (National Library of Medicine).
In December of 2021, two other companies that sell puberty blockers, Endo Pharmaceuticals and AbbVie Inc., were brought under investigation by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for potentially fraudulent claims on the use of their products. He claimed in a press release that the drugs are approved to treat precocious puberty and forms of prostate cancer but were being marketed and prescribed off-label to treat gender dysphoria. “These drugs were approved for very different purposes and can have detrimental and even irreversible side effects,” Paxton said. “I will not allow pharmaceutical companies to take advantage of Texas children.” (Texas Tribune, 3-24-22)
Some people may say that the medical industry can be relied upon to tell their patients which drugs are safe, that these drugs are being tested and regulated. But recent history has shown that this is not always the case. For instance, the opioid epidemic has claimed over 500,000 lives. The opioid epidemic was fueled by Purdue Pharma, which claimed that its opioid products (which contained narcotics) were safe for long term use, and safe for the treatment of moderate pain. They falsified information, used fraudulent marketing to promote their product and paid off FDA employees to okay their product. Purdue Pharma also gave doctors false information and even encouraged doctors with trips to resorts and other kickbacks. Half a million people died from the opioid epidemic as a result and the lives of millions more were ruined. (The United States Justice Department)
We're not saying that all puberty blockers are definitively bad. They do potentially have life saving medical uses. But we're saying that puberty blockers need to be evaluated more closely and shouldn't be prescribed as lightly as they currently are. These drugs have serious side effects.
We are sympathetic to any patients experiencing early puberty, gender dysphoria, endometriosis, or cancer. But it is clear that many patients are not getting the full story about these drugs. We believe it's vital for patients to have all the facts so they can make the best decisions about their health. It's time to put health over profit.
LINKS:
Lupron's Victims
Troubling Questions About Puberty Blockers
They Paused Puberty, but Is There a Cost? (New York Times, 11-14-22)
Long Term Evidence of Puberty Blockers Efficacy in Treating Gender Dysphoria is Low
Evidence for puberty blockers use very low, says National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) (BBC, 4-1-21)
Former Patients Speak Out
‘I literally lost organs’ (New York Post, 6-18-22)
Women say drug used to halt puberty has ruined their lives (Reveal News, 2-2-17)
Puberty Blocker Side Effects
Side Effects of Lupron (RX List)
Side effects of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (NCBI, 3-15-18)
"Almost all (96%) reported side effects during treatment; 80% reported side effects lasting > 6 months after stopping treatment. Almost half (45%) reported side effects they considered irreversible, including memory loss, insomnia, and hot flashes."
More women come forward with complaints about Lupron side effects (KTNV, 2-11-19)
Women fear drug they used to halt puberty led to health problems (PBS, 2-4-17)
Drug used to halt puberty in children may cause lasting health problems (Stat, 2-2-17)
Sweden and the UK Limit Use of Puberty Blockers in Children for Gender Dysphoria
Sweden Ends Use of Puberty Blockers for Children Under Age 16 (Missouri Catholic Conference, 6-15-21)
The Swedish U-Turn on Gender Transitioning for Children (Gender Report, 5-5-21)
Sweden’s Karolinska Ends All Use of Puberty Blockers and Cross-Sex Hormones for Minors Outside of Clinical Studies (SEGM, 5-5-21)
What the Tavistock clinic’s closure means for the trans debate (The Week, 8-2-22)
NHS in UK faces crackdown on giving puberty blockers to children as Tavistock clinic is shut down (Telegraph, 7-28-22)
Medical Opinions on Puberty Blockers are Turning
Opinion on the use of puberty blockers in America is turning (The Economist, 10-16-21)
Pharmaceutical Lawsuits
Lupron Lawsuits (Lurpon Victims Hub)
TAP to pay $875 million in Lupron case (The Pharma Letter)
"TAP Pharmaceutical Products, the US joint venture of Abbott Laboratoriesand Takeda, has pleaded guilty to fraudulent sales and marketing practices with regards to its prostate cancer drug Lupron (leuprolide; Marketletter February 26), and is to pay $875 million to settle the case. Included in that sum is a $290 million fine set by the US Justice Department, and said to be the largest criminal fine ever in a US health care fraud prosecution case."
The biggest ever pharmaceutical lawsuits (Pharmaceutical-Technology, 6-25-19)
Endo Pharmaceuticals and AbbVie Inc. Under Investigation
Attorney General Paxton to Investigate Promotion of Puberty Blockers in Children (Texas Attorney General, 12-13-21)
Lupron: a Nightmare produced in Abbvie (Rxisk, 2-18-14)