Sweden — Socialstyrelsen / SBU

Sweden’s health board (Socialstyrelsen) updated national guidelines after its evidence agency (SBU) looked at all the studies and found the evidence not enough to judge puberty blockers and hormones of the opposite sex in adolescents. This card is that official evidence and guideline record.

• SBU’s review concluded that existing scientific evidence is not enough to judge the effects of puberty blockers and opposite-sex hormones on gender dysphoria, mental health, and quality of life in adolescents.
• At group level, Sweden’s health board assesses that the risks of puberty blockers and other sex-rejecting procedures are likely to outweigh the expected benefits.
• It gives a weak “don’t, except rarely” recommendation: puberty blockers (GnRH analogues), hormones of the opposite sex, and double mastectomy may be given in exceptional cases, preferably in research.
• This is a national restriction and research-setting recommendation.