Puberty blockers trial can start recruiting children after judge rejects legal challenge
The High Court has rejected a legal challenge against a clinical trial for puberty blockers in children, allowing the 'Pathways' study to proceed. The trial aims to assess the risks and benefits of the drugs following concerns about the strength of existing evidence.
Why it matters
This decision allows for critical medical research to continue, which has significant implications for the standard of care for gender-questioning youth.
Image source, Getty Images By Alison Holt , Social affairs editor , Reporting from Royal Courts of Justice , Jim Reed , Health reporter , Reporting from Royal Courts of Justice and James Melley , Social affairs producer Published 31 July 2026, 16:09 BST Updated 5 minutes ago A high-profile clinical trial of drugs that can delay puberty in children questioning their gender can go ahead after the High Court rejected a legal challenge by campaigners.
The Pathways trial, run by researchers at King's College London (KCL), will start recruiting more than 220 children aged between 11 and 16 years old from 1 August.
The study was commissioned to assess the benefits or risks of puberty blockers, after a landmark review into gender services found the evidence for treating young people with the drugs was "remarkably weak".
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