On 29 May 2024, the UK Government introduced emergency restrictions on the use of gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues when prescribed to suppress puberty as part of treating gender incongruence and/or gender dysphoria in children and young people who are under 18 years of age. 

The First Emergency Order commenced on 3 June and expired at the end of 2 September. Two further orders were laid with the Second Emergency Order commencing in Northern Ireland on 27 August and in Great Britain on 3 September – it expired across the UK at the end of 26 November. The Third Emergency Order came into force from 27 November 2024 in the UK and expired on 31 December 2024. 

Following a targeted consultation and advice from the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM), the UK Government laid legislation on 11 December 2024, which came into effect on 01 January 2025, that put in place an indefinite ban. In line with the CHM recommendations, there will be a review of the Order, in consultation with the CHM recommendations, this is expected to start in April 2027, with a report to be published by the end of October 2027.  The UK Government’s announcement is published on their website. 

The arrangements apply to medicines that consist of or contain buserelin, gonadorelin, goserelin, leuprorelin acetate, nafarelin, or triptorelin. This includes, but is not limited to, medicines sold under the brand names: Decapeptyl®, Gonapeptyl Depot®, Salvacyl®, Prostap®, Staladex®, Zoladex®, Synarel®.