Hilary Cass

Hilary Cass is a British paediatrician who led an independent review of gender identity services for children and young people within the National Health Service (NHS) in England. Her review has become newsworthy due to its significant impact on NHS policy regarding gender-affirming care for minors. The Cass Review led to the NHS pausing new referrals for masculinizing or feminizing hormone treatments for 16 and 17-year-olds, citing insufficient evidence to support their continued use. Furthermore, the review resulted in a ban on puberty blockers for under-18s. Cass has also publicly stated that young people are being misled by unrealistic portrayals of transitioning on social media and that they have been "weaponized" by these platforms. Her work is currently relevant as it has sparked debate and calls for cross-party consensus on gender identity services, particularly concerning a puberty blocker trial for children.