Alison Holt

The High Court has rejected a legal challenge to the Pathways trial, allowing King's College London to recruit more than 220 gender-questioning children in England from 1 August. The trial, commissioned by NHS England after the Cass Review found weak evidence for puberty blockers, will examine effects on bone density, brain development, fertility and mental wellbeing. The judge said participants would undergo months of specialist assessment, while researchers and the Health Research Authority emphasized strengthened safeguards. Campaigners, including parents and detransitioners, argued that the study was unethical and that children could not give fully informed consent, but the court found their claims had no realistic prospect of success.

The High Court has rejected a legal challenge to the Pathways clinical trial of puberty blockers for gender-questioning children, allowing King's College London to begin recruiting more than 220 participants aged 11 to 16 from 1 August 2026. The trial, commissioned by NHS England after the Cass Review found weak evidence for the drugs, will assess effects on bone density, brain development, fertility and mental wellbeing. Campaigners argued that the safeguards and informed-consent process were inadequate, but the judge said their claims had no realistic chance of success. Regulators have strengthened protections, including age and sex-specific participation rules, while health authorities and researchers say extensive assessments and ethics reviews will prioritise participants' safety.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham will hold social care talks with Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey and Conservative representatives, aiming to build cross-party agreement on reform in England. He is expected to accelerate Baroness Louise Casey’s independent review, although he will not present detailed reform plans immediately. The Conservatives support improvements only if they are backed by a fully costed plan without tax rises or increased borrowing, while the Liberal Democrats emphasize support for family carers and consensus-building. Reform UK and the Green Party were excluded from the talks and criticized the decision. The report highlights mounting pressure on the NHS, financial strain on families paying for care, and calls for a better-coordinated system that limits profiteering and prevents people from having to sell their homes.