Rona Carroll
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nzrona.bsky.social
Rona Carroll
@nzrona.bsky.social
28 followers 49 following 26 posts
General Practitioner and Senior lecturer University of Otago Wellington. Transgender health research and gender affirming healthcare. Aotearoa New Zealand.
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Reposted by Rona Carroll
nytimes.com
Nineteen states on Tuesday sued to block the Trump administration’s plan to effectively end gender-related care for minors.
19 States Sue to Block White House Plan to End Gender-Related Care for Minors
The coalition of states seeks to stop a Trump administration effort to cut off federal funding to hospitals that provide such care.
nyti.ms
December 24, 2025 at 10:25 AM
Reposted by Rona Carroll
marcdaalder.bsky.social
New from me: Health officials said there was ‘no evidence base’ about the likely impacts of the Government’s decision to ban puberty blockers for transgender youth.
newsroom.co.nz/2025/12/22/c...
Cabinet overrode health advice in decision to ban puberty blockers
Health officials said there was 'no evidence base' about the likely impacts of the Government's decision to ban puberty blockers for transgender youth.
newsroom.co.nz
December 21, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Reposted by Rona Carroll
jennifilm.nz
Excellent coverage from Marc showing how not only did Cabinet pick the worst option available, they also turned “increased access to gender services” into “a webpage listing gender services” because they want their evil to cost nothing, too.
December 21, 2025 at 6:53 PM
nzrona.bsky.social
This article is a great summary of the documents the Ministry proactively released over the weekend. The health advice was clear. Cabinet ignored it all and opted for the most harmful options. Simeon Brown in not fit to be a health minister.

newsroom.co.nz/2025/12/22/c...
Cabinet overrode health advice in decision to ban puberty blockers
Health officials said there was 'no evidence base' about the likely impacts of the Government's decision to ban puberty blockers for transgender youth.
newsroom.co.nz
December 21, 2025 at 7:20 PM
nzrona.bsky.social
nytimes.com The New York Times @nytimes.com · 11d
The U.S. government acted to put an end to gender-related care for minors across the country on Thursday, threatening to pull federal funding from any hospital that offered such treatment. If finalized, the proposed new rules would effectively shut down hospitals that did not comply. trib.al/b3HHaQE
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in a blue suit wearing a tie with small red seahorses. A headline reads: "Trump Administration Moves to End Gender-Related Care Access for Minors" Photo by Tierney L. Cross/The New York Times
December 18, 2025 at 11:12 PM
nzrona.bsky.social
The ministry of health advised the health ministers that puberty blockers should remain available for young people at high risk of poor health outcomes if they do not access blockers as part of gender affirming care. They also ignored this and banned it for all trans young people.
December 18, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Reposted by Rona Carroll
goodlawproject.bsky.social
Not every country’s going down the same path as the UK – the High Court of New Zealand has ruled that a ban on puberty blockers for young trans people should not be enforced ahead of a legal challenge from a trans health body:
https://goodlaw.social/6pig
New Zealand court stops trans puberty blockers ban
The High Court of New Zealand has ruled that a ban on puberty blockers for young trans people should not be enforced ahead of a legal challenge from a trans health body.
goodlaw.social
December 17, 2025 at 6:58 PM
nzrona.bsky.social
The health minister and cabinet ignored the recommendation and advice of the Ministry of Health and instead completely banned the option of pubertal suppression for trans kids making NZ one of the few places with zero access to this care.
jennifilm.nz Jennifer @jennifilm.nz · 12d
Here are the headline paragraphs. The Ministry emphatically did not recommend this ban, and in fact repeatedly pointed out the significant level of harm it was likely to cause. The consultation found overwhelming support for continued access. The only people who thought different were cabinet.
Assessing Option Four against the criteria 147. Option Four, like the other regulatory options, offers less benefit under each criterion when compared to Option One. While it puts safety and caution first, based on a lack of evidence of safety or benefit, the approach is unlikely to be as effective as status quo because it removes the practitioner's ability to consider and respond in the best interests of the individual. This could be alleviated to some degree through patients attending the alternative services but may not resolve the medical issue that young people with gender incongruence/dysphoria are presenting for. Like Option 3b and 3c, people that desperately want to delay puberty while they consider their identity may try to purchase products online where there are safety issues with the quality. 152. Health equity issues would not improve, nor would trust and confidence in the health sector, given regulation of a particular medicine for a particular health problem would be regulated for the first time. Access to the alternative health services could help provide some trust and confidence because individuals would be cared for by specialists. However, without the availability of puberty blockers, this effect would likely be minor. The need to develop additional gender services may result in the reallocation of resources from other higher-priority areas of health. al), as described in the above table. Option 4 - Regulations to prohibit new prescribing while making youth gender services more accessible A prohibition on new prescribing would protect against potential harm. However, this option has a high risk of adverse health outcomes (similar to options 3b and 3c) due to possible negative impacts on mental health, despite medical and psychosocial support through the alternative services. The lack of access to puberty blockers would not treat the indication in many of the cases. What option is likely to best address the problem, meet the policy objectives, and deliver the highest net benefits? 153. The Ministry of Health considers Option One (Status Quo / Counterfactual: baseline of close Ministry monitoring and adjustment as needed) is the best fit for the policy objectives. 154. There is no evidence base to know the likely impact of other options, given they have not been previously tried in this type of context. Also, the steps already taken have not yet had time to be fully embedded and therefore time is needed to evaluate their impact fully.
December 18, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Reposted by Rona Carroll
jennifilm.nz
BREAKING: The High Court of New Zealand has granted PATHA’s application for interim relief, declaring that the Crown should not take any steps to enforce the incoming ban on new prescriptions of puberty blockers to transgender children and young people. More to come:
www.courtsofnz.govt.nz
December 16, 2025 at 10:20 PM
Reposted by Rona Carroll
jennifilm.nz
PATHA has significant concerns about the UK’s PATHWAYS clinical trial protocol. These trials are unethical, dangerous, and won’t even give Simeon Brown the evidence he claims he’s looking for. Aotearoa shouldn’t endorse these trials, and it remains unethical to withhold necessary care.
patha.nz
December 7, 2025 at 6:43 AM
Reposted by Rona Carroll
jennifilm.nz
Support this open letter written by trans and takatāpui rangatahi: "To be transgender or takatāpui is a taonga. To deny our young people access to life-saving medication on the basis of an imported culture war is cruel and abhorrent."

our.actionstation.org.nz/petitions/re...
Reverse the decision to deny transgender and takatāpui young people access to puberty blockers
Dear Minister Simeon Brown We write to you as transgender and takatāpui young people of Aotearoa New Zealand to ask you to reconsider your decision to ban the use of puberty blockers (gonadotropin-re...
our.actionstation.org.nz
December 1, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Reposted by Rona Carroll
jennifilm.nz
Yes - we're working on some comms around this because there's also going to be a need for funds to support whānau affected by the ban, but you can donate via patha.nz/donate
DONATE | Professional Association for Transgender Health Aotearoa Inc. (PATHA)
patha.nz
November 30, 2025 at 11:35 PM
Reposted by Rona Carroll
jennifilm.nz
These regulations are being enacted based on politics, not on clinical evidence or best-practice decision making. We won’t let transgender children in Aotearoa be subjected to harm just to ‘win a war on woke'. We’re taking this to court because we know what’s right. The law is on our side.
November 30, 2025 at 11:28 PM
Reposted by Rona Carroll
jennifilm.nz
BREAKING: PATHA has filed an urgent injunction in the high court seeking to prevent the puberty blocker ban from coming into force, as part of an urgent judicial review we are seeking to overturn the ban entirely.
November 30, 2025 at 11:27 PM
nzrona.bsky.social
It feels so good to finally get these important guidelines out there! Please share!

patha.nz/resources-an...
November 28, 2025 at 8:30 AM
Reposted by Rona Carroll
jennifilm.nz
In some good news, today PATHA has finally been able to release the 2025 Guidelines for Gender Affirming Care in Aotearoa New Zealand. You can read them here: patha.nz/resources-an...
Clinical Guidelines | Professional Association for Transgender Health Aotearoa Inc. (PATHA)
patha.nz
November 28, 2025 at 5:21 AM
Reposted by Rona Carroll
jennifilm.nz
Jaimie Veale, the founding president of PATHA and Director of the Trans Health Research Lab at Waikato has written an excellent op-ed for the Conversation: "The government has placed a burden of proof on puberty blockers that we do not place on other paediatric care."
Puberty blockers: why politicians overriding doctors sets a dangerous precedent
The government’s ban on puberty blockers undermines clinical expertise and targets trans youth with a policy that lacks evidence, consistency and fairness.
theconversation.com
November 21, 2025 at 3:06 AM
Reposted by Rona Carroll
smcnz.bsky.social
Government halts new puberty blocker prescriptions – Expert Reaction
Government halts new puberty blocker prescriptions - Expert Reaction - Science Media Centre
The government is halting new puberty blocker prescriptions for youth with gender dysphoria. From 19 December, new regulations under the Medicines Act will prevent new prescriptions for this purpose,...
www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz
November 21, 2025 at 3:00 AM
Reposted by Rona Carroll
jennifilm.nz
That every comment in this article is supportive of trans kids right to access puberty blockers tells you everything you need to know. In the medical community, this isn’t even a debate. No one thinks a ban is right.
November 21, 2025 at 5:11 AM
nzrona.bsky.social
What on earth is a 2 year puberty blocker clinical trial going to tell us that we don’t already know?! In the meantime no one under 18y in the UK has had any trans medical care for years while this is set up.

www.thepinknews.com/2025/09/16/w...
Wes Streeting admits 'slow progress' on puberty blockers trial
Wes Streeting has said 'slow progress' is being made in starting the NHS's £10 million puberty blockers trial.
www.thepinknews.com
September 17, 2025 at 10:39 PM
Reposted by Rona Carroll
jennifilm.nz
Benjamin Doyle has faced some of the most concentrated hate condensed into a short period of time, egged on by pseudonymous hate groups and encouraged further by the deputy PM. It’s a damn shame that our political environment has got so toxic that an MP needs to resign for the safety of their whānau
September 5, 2025 at 4:14 AM
nzrona.bsky.social
This is a really important statement from the authors of the systematic reviews used in the Cass report. Note their comment: “It is unconscionable to forbid clinicians from delivering gender-affirming care.”

hei.healthsci.mcmaster.ca/systematic-r...
Systematic reviews related to gender-affirming care  - Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact (HEI)
[...]Read More...
hei.healthsci.mcmaster.ca
September 4, 2025 at 1:37 AM
nzrona.bsky.social
Great interview with Dr George Parker about trans perinatal care and parenting.

podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/p...
Expert Dr. George Parker: Inclusive pregnancy care & studying rainbow families nationwide
Podcast Episode · Proud Conception Podcast · 20/08/2025 · 44m
podcasts.apple.com
August 22, 2025 at 9:22 AM
nzrona.bsky.social
The 15 minute GP appointment model is outdated and no longer works.

www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
New workplace survey warns of mass exodus of general practice and rural doctors
The Royal New Zealand College of GPs survey of more than 1300 doctors showed a significant numbers are about to leave the workforce.
www.rnz.co.nz
July 31, 2025 at 9:13 AM
Reposted by Rona Carroll
chrishipkins.bsky.social
Preventing people from enrolling to vote during advance voting is a draconian measure that could rob tens of thousands of Kiwis of their democratic right to vote, and there is no good reason for it. It’s anti-democratic.
July 24, 2025 at 1:57 AM