BMA POSITION ON PUBERTY BLOCKERS ‘MISGUIDED’ SAYS FORMER COMMITTEE CHAIR

A former British Medical Association committee chairman has accused the union of overstepping its mark in its opposition to the Cass Review.

Dr Laurence Buckman, who chaired the GP committee, said the BMA should be led by scientific evidence.

Speaking to GB News Dr Laurence Buckman said:

“I’m baffled by the position of the BMA Council. I don’t understand a union getting involved in what is primarily an evidence based medicine debate.

“Trans rights see this issue as very important to them, I understand that. But the BMA should be standing behind whatever evidence there is, and Hillary Cass published pretty clear evidence to me. I’m mystified why the BMA council took a contrary view.

“Of course, there will be divided views within the BMA, and I think resigning is never a solution. What you have to do is complain bitterly and make effort to change the BMA Council policy. And I hope that’s what they’ll end up doing, because I think the policy is misguided.

“I just don’t understand why politics intrudes into medicine in this way about this subject. And I don’t think the BMA is unique, by the way. I think this is an area where people have very, very strong views, quite understandably if they have patients with gender dysphoria.

“But I think the use of a union to debate evidence when there is clear evidence and no obvious evidence against the Cass Review, I think is very puzzling.

“[This debate is] about puberty blockers, and the evidence is that puberty blockers may affect fertility and most definitely give you thin bones.

“So I actually think the BMA Council has overstepped its mark. I think it’s nothing to do with the trade union, whether it’s like the other trades unions or not.

“But the fact is that I think doctors should be paying attention to evidence and the evidence of Hillary Cass’s review, is we need we need to look a jolly sight more carefully before we start handing out this medication.”