Transgender advocates have criticised the panel assembled to conduct the Queensland government’s review of puberty blockers for lacking experts in gender affirming care and people with lived experience of trans healthcare.
The state government opened its independent review of stage 1 and stage 2 hormone therapies in Queensland’s public paediatric gender services to public submissions last week, but kept the panel conducting the review secret.
The seven members were made public on Wednesday.
The panel includes three medical specialists; psychiatrists Ruth Vine and Beth Kotze, and endocrinologist Bruce Robinson. It also includes academics Eleanor Milligan, Lisa Brophy, Malcolm Smith and a former judge, Kerry O’Brien.
The Australian Professional Association for Trans Health chief executive, Eloise Brook, criticised the panel’s composition, saying: “Imagine this was a review of cardiac services and there were no cardiologists on the review panel.”
Brook said that even though the health professionals were distinguished in their fields, none were experts in providing healthcare for trans children.
Without such expertise, she said, the panel wasn’t “credible”.
The LGBTI Legal Service president, Ren Shike, said the “panel appears to lack anyone with lived experience regarding trans healthcare either as a patient or practitioner”.
“While we welcome the academic expertise on the panel, including the perspectives of people with lived experience when considering their healthcare is vitally important,” Shike said.
“Just as we would not find it acceptable to have a review of women’s healthcare without a single woman on the panel, there should not be a review of trans healthcare without a transgender person on the panel.”
Jackie Turner, the director of Trans Justice Project and a proud trans woman, said: “Trans people deserve to be involved in the decisions that affect their lives, rights, and health care.
“Without including relevant clinical experts and trans people themselves, this ‘review’ is nothing more than a show trial on the future of trans health care.”
A spokesperson for Queensland Health said the community could be assured the review panel would approach its work in a “considered and evidence-based manner”.
“The panel was convened in accordance with the review’s terms of reference and its members were chosen based on their specialist expertise,” they said.
“The terms of reference also notes that additional reviewers may be appointed if necessary.
“Any members of the public or within the health system are welcome to contribute to the review by participating in the current consultation process.
“Reviewers are appointed primarily on their ability to conduct comprehensive investigations and deliver a report that is informed by facts and evidence.”
The state government has paused any new patients under 18 accessing paediatric gender therapies through the public system until the government considers the review’s outcome. Children already on a treatment plan – nearly 600 in total – can still access the services.
Children who are experiencing gender dysphoria but are unable to begin hormone therapy will still be able to access psychiatric and psychological support.
The review is due to be completed by 30 November.
