The NHS Pathways trial, led by researchers from King's College London, was commissioned in the wake of the controversial Cass Report and the government's ban on puberty blockers for trans youth. The £10 million ($13.1 million) trial will study the effectiveness of the drugs by focusing on the physical, social and emotional wellbeing of 220 youngsters over a two-year period.
More than 2.8 million people now identify as transgender in the US, including an estimated 724,000 youth, according to a new data analysis that is the largest of its kind to date. Researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Williams Institute used federal surveys and data from state health agencies to identify the size and demographics of the trans population in each state. The analysis, shared with the Guardian and released on Wednesday, documented thousands of trans youth living in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The findings counter Donald Trump's aggressive efforts to deny the existence of trans minors, as his administration removes references to trans people across federal agencies and widely erodes protections and programs for LGBTQ+ communities.
The law prohibits hormone therapy and sexual-reassignment surgeries for under-21s, with violations leading to a $50,000 fine and up to 15 years in prison.
