Complaint
This edition of Newsnight considered new analysis of data on puberty blockers originally gathered by the Gender Identity and Development Service (GIDS) and University College London Hospitals. 听A viewer complained several aspects of the report lacked impartiality.
Outcome
The original study looked at the potential impact of puberty blockers on the mental health of 44 children aged between 12 and 15. The results, published in 2021, suggested there were 鈥渘o changes in psychological function鈥 for those taking puberty blockers. 听A re-analysis in 2023 used a different methodology to assess the data and, according to Newsnight, showed 鈥渢he majority of children who took part in the research saw their mental health significantly impacted after 12 months on these drugs - for both better and for worse鈥.听 In this context the ECU considered this was a story about the results of a specific data sample and there was therefore no necessity for voices opposed to the principle of the use of puberty blockers to be balanced by those in favour, as the complainant suggested. 听Due impartiality was achieved in this report by including a response from both the Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust which ran GIDS, and from University College London Hospitals.听 Equally the ECU did not accept that it was inappropriate to include a contributor who argued a lack of up-to-date evidence amounted to the 鈥渁产耻蝉别鈥 of children in the care of GIDS, as his remarks were placed in appropriate context and audiences understood this was a personal point of view.
听Not Upheld