BMA reverses stance on Cass review after internal reassessment of NHS gender care

The British Medical Association (BMA) has reversed its earlier opposition to the Cass review, a major assessment of NHS gender identity services for children and young people. The decision follows a fresh internal evaluation by 12 union members, which contradicted the BMA’s previous stance on the report’s findings. The Cass review, led by Dr. Hilary Cass, examined the quality of gender identity care within the NHS. Its final report warned that medical interventions like sex hormones for under-18s lacked strong evidence. It also found that patients had been poorly served by weak research and that existing services were 'built on shaky foundations'.

Initially, the BMA council voted to reject the review’s 32 recommendations, calling them 'unsubstantiated'. The organisation refused to endorse the conclusions at the time. Now, a new assessment by BMA members has led to a change in position. Professor David Strain, chair of the BMA’s board of science, described the review process as constructive. He highlighted that clinicians with differing opinions had engaged respectfully and that the evidence had been thoroughly examined. Strain also noted consistent respect for the data and the ethical challenges involved in decision-making.

The BMA’s shift means it no longer opposes the Cass review’s recommendations. The review had raised concerns about the lack of robust evidence for medical treatments in young people. The decision reflects a reassessment of the report’s findings by the BMA’s own members.