General · 15 February 2026
Review author says adults weaponised children in gender debate
Dr Hilary Cass told the BBC that young people are being treated like footballs in arguments over transgender rights. She noted annual referrals to the Tavistock Clinic rose from 50 to 3,500 without proper patient tracking. The paediatrician warned that social media creates misleading ideas about medical transition and its difficult surgeries. Cass stated that while a tiny number need medical pathways, most children simply grow out of their distress.
Reported by BBC · How we write briefs